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posted by cmn32480 on Sunday October 09 2016, @08:17PM   Printer-friendly
from the make-sure-your-spaceship-floats dept.

Researchers have calculated that Proxima b may have liquid water oceans on its surface, or even be an "ocean planet" based on larger estimates of its radius:

A rocky planet discovered in the "habitable" zone of the star nearest our Sun may be covered with oceans, researchers at France's CNRS research institute said Thursday. A team including CNRS astrophysicists have calculated the size and surface properties of the planet dubbed Proxima b, and concluded it may be an "ocean planet" similar to Earth.

[...] They calculated the radius was between 0.94 and 1.4 times that of Earth, which is 6,371 kilometres on average. Assuming a minimum radius of 5,990 km, the planet would be very dense, with a metallic core making up two-thirds of the entire planet's mass, surrounded by a rocky mantle. If there is surface water, it would not contribute more than 0.05 percent to the planet's total mass, the team said—similar to Earth, where it is about 0.02 percent.

In the larger planet scenario, with a radius of 8,920 km, Proxima b's mass would be split 50-50 between a rocky centre and surrounding water. "In this case, Proxima b would be covered by a single, liquid ocean 200 km deep," said the CNRS. "In both cases, a thin, gassy atmosphere could surround the planet, like on Earth, rendering Proxima b potentially habitable," it concluded.

The exoplanet has not been seen transiting Proxima Centauri, so further data about its size and composition will require the James Webb Space Telescope or other observatories to directly observe it.

Original article in French.

Previously: "Earth-Like" Exoplanet Found in Habitable Zone of Proxima Centauri
ESO Confirms Reports of Proxima Centauri Exoplanet


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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday October 10 2016, @10:12AM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Monday October 10 2016, @10:12AM (#412364) Journal

    The Proximas are so interesting for so many reasons. I think there should be a space telescope dedicated to studying those stars and nothing else.

    Better yet, an array of space telescopes[1] in formation, cruising steadily in the direction of Proxima Centauri. Maybe in twenty years[2] when they are out around the heliopause, we'll be able to get a decent view of the planets there.
    Send out a trail of repeater craft behind it at 12 month intervals, to relay all that lovely data back to Earth.

    [1] A formation array would give us better resolution that a single 'scope, and a degree of redundancy too.

    [2] It took Voyager a lot longer to get that far, but we have better technology now. An ion drive could get us out there far more quickly.

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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Derf the on Monday October 10 2016, @01:55PM

    by Derf the (4919) on Monday October 10 2016, @01:55PM (#412435)

    I think we would be wise not to leave a long-living trail of bread crumbs, nay, a line of bloody great arrows, pointing straight at earth.