ESOcast 87: Planet found around closest Star

This is the ESOcast that no viewer will want to miss. We discuss the result of the quest to find a planet around the closest star to the Solar System.
The Pale Red Dot campaign aimed to find a planet orbiting our nearest stellar neighbour, Proxima Centauri. Incredibly, the quest succeeded and the team did indeed find a planet. Even more excitingly, the planet, Proxima b, falls within the habitable zone of its host star. The newly discovered Proxima b is by far the closest potential abode for alien life.
In this ESOcast, the results of this groundbreaking research are explained in detail, providing insights into the following points:
* The extensive verification process the team went through to ensure this result was accurate.
* The factors for and against the possibility of life on Proxima b.
* The nature of a “habitable zone” around a star.
The discovery of Proxima b is a major science result, making this ESOcast a must for those of you curious about one of the most intriguing questions in astronomy - “are we alone?”
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Credit:
ESO.
Editing: Herbert Zodet.
Web and technical support: Mathias André and Raquel Yumi Shida.
Written by: Calum Turner, Richard Hook and Eleanor Spring
Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa.
Music: STAN DART (www.stan-dart.com) and Mylonite - MRP (Mylonite Recordz Production).
Footage and photos: ESO, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org), Alexandre Santerne (Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço) / Planetário do Porto - Centro Ciência Viva, C. Malin (christophmalin.com), NASA, ESA, F. Pont (Exeter University, UK), A. Lecavelier des Etangs (IAP/CNRS/UPMC, France), NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, ACe Consortium, B. Tafreshi (twanight.org), PHL @ UPR Arecibo, Liam Young/Unknown Fields, Alain Maury/spaceobs observatory, S. Brunier and Y. Beletsky (LCO).
Directed by: Herbert Zodet.
Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen.

[@Elm98]

It blows my mind that this type of discovery isnt going viral. THIS IS HUGE!!! im so excited to be living in this time period despite all the bs politics and govt.

[@RealestPerson.]

this sis from 4 years ago and we still barely know anything more

[@michaelheath2866]

@@RealestPerson. Yeah even this video states there's a good chance it's a barren rock or at least it would be difficult for a lush ecosystem to thrive, but we just don't know enough about what life is capable of even under difficult conditions, to rule out the possibility. So it's not looking good, but never say never. Bottom line, there's no feasible way to get there for us, let alone transport enough people for a colony like in that one old pc game. I suspect when, not if, when we do find an Earthlike planet, it will be so far away that we'll have no hope of ever getting there without throwing the laws of physics out the door.

[@gtb393]

The Twitter for Kepler (a space based telescope) told me last year that from their data it seems that 15% to 25% of stars have Earth mass planets in their habitable zone! Exciting!

[@David_Kelly_SF]

Fantastic news!

[@TechnoBite]

glad to be alive at times like these

[@marisolv116]

So cool!!!!!!

[@velly027]

Nice. Possible earth like planet so close.

[@Andy21FS]

4 LY sounds much friendlier than 25 trillion miles, it's close enough hehe

[@joecausey8508]

How are you today? ---- 8 years later ---- I'm fine. How are you?

[@chrisc5563]

MUST VISIT

[@Armuotas]

Soo are we building a ship yet? No? Oh, right, we have wars to fight and people to kill, nevermind.

[@grimjowjaggerjak]

Only USA/ russia and the middle east

[@Evrastrim]

And Koreas, and Somali/Saudi, and China/Taiwan and India/Pakistan, and China/Vietnam, and China/USA, and Albania/Serbia and ISIL, and most of Africa.

[@grimjowjaggerjak]

Evrastrim Well the whole world except europe

[@paultardspambot]

we are. sort of. Starshot. they're microships, small probes that use solar sails to travel 1/5 the speed of light, which would be twenty years to proxima centuri, and four more years for the data to reach us if signaled by laser.

[@markwhittemore5417]

And that's how rockets were developed.

[@frankjacobs1360]

That's Amazing!

[@athanasiosklidaras9490]

YES!

[@domanater480]

humans just arn't innovative enough this is one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind and if a video of Kim Kardashian twerking was uploaded it would have millions more views and be much more talked about and noticed its sad really we are going to get no where like this.

[@Haryadiajja]

there are more than 2 trillions galaxy in the universe.. and billions of stars and planets in one galaxy... i'm very sure we are not alone in this universe!

[@ghemelaisus9962]

Is True ... , we are not Alone in all Space of Universe Infinite , everything is spiritual pure , but not all spirit's are pure ...

[@ghemelaisus9962]

Alien's are demon's from Hell , evil spirit's ...

[@MEUAR]

Dat Mass Effect 1 feel with the music

[@saduddin6431]

We are not alone in this planet earth. There is humans like people life in proxima b. 🔭🙂👍

[@NicolaFaccioliniTv]

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

[@rishicrk]

HOLY BALLS !

[@mzmadmike]

It's probably tidally locked, so there'd be a habitable band around the terminator. Winds would be high from temperature differentials between perpetual noon and perpetual midnight. Life is still feasible, though.

[@SH-fo2pq]

Reminds me of a 1950/60's story about Proxima Centauri...

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

Estaremos sós neste vasto universo?? Uma pergunta que ainda não obteve resposta!!! Somos os únicos seres inteligentes? Acreditar ou não eis a questão?? Existir ou não existir?? No entanto há certos retratos extra que intrigam ...como pinturas rupestres...rudimentares mas muito perceptíveis...como na idade média quadros pintados ...O foco é Graal das pesquisas que nunca mais se detenha a continuidade de conhecimento e de desistir de encontros com outras vidas!! Que nos trará esta busca??

[@Hakotora]

Why do I feel like I just watched an advertisement.

[@rendipityse]

👍👍

[@Callzter]

Maybe the planet isn't habitable, but we could put domes on it to harbor cities :D

[@gtb393]

If this planet has an atmosphere and is tidally locked so that the same side always faces the star (like how our Moon is tidally locked with the Earth) I wonder whether there is life on the dark side or near the day-night terminator or underground, shielded from the UV and X-rays!

[@OanaSandu]

From PaleRedDot scientists: We can only speculate about these things. Protection from intense UV and X-ray radiation would be beneficial for life as we know it. Underwater would also work fine. At the moment we know too little about the planet's actual composition to say anything more specific.

[@gtb393]

Thankyou! Underwater - that's very interesting. Perhaps then even the day side of such planets are habitable if there is an ocean!

[@bangyahead1]

Volcanic activity can also add heat to a planet. Might not matter if there's a dark side.

[@olegruss]

Oh, they have discovered the Trisolaris finally. How nice. :) Anybody here has read 'The Three-Body Problem' novel by Liu Cixin?

[@brandonwiebe2647]

now all we need is a warp drive

[@saduddin6431]

Since life begins human intrested exploring planet. We come to proxima b. From a different planet where life started. And thay had some space ship to fly to proxima b.then to planet Mars to the planet of earth.🔭🙂

[@Ed1Ward]

so would that race of beings be called a proximations.

[@DSFilmguy84]

I think that would be an adjective and not a noun. Maybe...Proximentarians?

[@DSFilmguy84]

Never mind. I'm an idiot. Proximation is a noun.

[@joecausey8508]

Isn't that "approximation"?

[@asphodelustube5935]

Not race, only the species.

[@jimsmith1856]

Proxsimians.

[@gulagdan]

yes

[@UnforgivingDemon]

So is it really time to get excited now?

[@mohammadamitshah7714]

yes

[@Kiakaa]

Is there any life out there? The answer is yes!! The right question is when and where we will find it. If you think not then you think to small.

[@thechrono]

Why not? It seems like an amazing discovery regardless of whether or not it contains water/life/is habitable.

[@vanyaa104]

Its rocky and in habitable zone yes, but it can be dry like it is on mars or athmnosphere is not strong enough to keep oxygen or there is no strong enough magnetic field which portects the planet from deadly sun gamma rays

[@ryanadams6616]

No, there are plenty of other planets that are strikingly similar to earth, even if this one is the closest to us, it is still 6 lightyears away, and we dont have that technology yet.

[@romuloleonciocruzsimbron8280]

Awasone

[@Manishpriysingh]

#aroundtheplanet

[@scottcox9108]

What's the story on fast orbiting planets? Why are ours so slow in comparison?

[@kalef1234]

And then the Solar Flares attacked. RIP Proxima B

[@naen2985]

Find the way get on there just 1 decade ...hope it possible

[@ljdean1956]

Depends on what sort of mission you'd be hoping for in a decade. The best we could possibly do in a decade is an unmanned mission and that would still be quite the stretch. We need to get to near light speed to reach this star on a reasonable timescale. We are nowhere near that speed. Half a century is more like it unless there is an incredible breakthrough in spaceflight such as the likes we've never seen.

[@jamesrusso2977]

I beg to differ concerning whether this is a question of FAITH. It actually is! Until we know for sure that we are not alone, to believe we are not alone right now, which I firmly do, is an exercise in faith and faith alone. But one day, if we don't destroy ourselves first, we WILL learn for sure that we've never been alone.

[@bangyahead1]

Now all we need is a warp drive.

[@LividImp]

That's too slow. What we need is ludicrous speed.

[@TheRepain]

Too slow? Warp drive is a faster-than-light (FTL) spacecraft propulsion system.. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at speeds greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude. Can't get any more faster than that..

[@LividImp]

+Fredrik Brekke Well apparently ludicrous speed is too fast for you...because it went right over your head. Did you hear the whooshing sound? Here, try this... lmgtfy.com/?q=ludicrous+speed

[@TheRepain]

That "ludicrous speed" you are talking about is a relativ term.

[@bangyahead1]

Fredrik Brekke Its a reference to a movie called Spaceballs. Watch it, then you'll understand.

[@noumenon7682]

i've seen / read these news about discovering earthlike planet with posible life for about 10 times this and last year :/

[@Cram91]

How in the world can 6 people not like this

[@PacificCircle1]

Alpha and Beta Centauri are closer Will Robinson.

[@TheUnatuber]

Tidally-locked planets don't have rotation. Therefore, no magnetic field. Kiss life goodbye.

[@tahirsiddiqui319]

i dont think there's another planet quite like our Earth because, after all, there's no place like home....

[@youtuber13283]

Prometheus 2012

[@pajacdebeli9571]

send the signal :)

[@MichaelJordanable]

This is already known. Didn't you watch documentary The X-Files?

[@TheGanamaster]

AEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BRASIL VAI CHEGAR PRIMEIRO, NOSSA VEZ DE BRINCAR DE PEDRO ALVARES CABRAL...

[@LilMalygos]

Here no life, because star is "active" Red Dwarf

[@erinboosey6323]

Check out Elizabeth Klarer and you can learn all about it and how to get there ;)

[@crasyclip]

if we investing in fusion propulsion maybe can get to prox B in this century ;)

[@bobboberts6169]

They HAVE been investing in fusion research for the past decade, but it's still unachievable.

[@crasyclip]

the next generations of space telescopes success we are gone to see the superpowers competing who arrives first and plant the flag and reclame

[@crasyclip]

i hope not !

[@bobboberts6169]

+Marco Cardoso Keep up your hopes. It will be achieved one day.

[@J2897Tutorials]

They're thinking of using laser propulsion to reach it in 20 years; it's called Breakthrough Starshot.

[@KhanleGrand]

I'm going there next year with my gf

[@vladlen2143]

space engine

[@J2897Tutorials]

If it's mostly ice with no life what-so-ever, what should we do with it? Vote on the best answer below.

[@J2897Tutorials]

Design new DNA and create intelligent life, more intelligent than humans, and let them breed there, whilst keeping all biological matter contained so that - if they need to evacuate that planet in the future - they can leave the planet clean of life and to be used again.

[@grimjowjaggerjak]

It was calculated that the average temperature there without greenhouse effect would be around -40 ( its -20 on earth )

[@grimjowjaggerjak]

If the planet is covered in ice there could be life under the icy shell

[@J2897Tutorials]

juste kevin You didn't answer my question.

[@grimjowjaggerjak]

***** I think that we should release CO2 to warm the planet and then, bring some animals and humans and colonize it.

[@VampireSquirrel]

why is the plant drawn larger than the star?

[@bangyahead1]

so you can visualise it in your brain. a speck wouldn't have the same psychological impact.

[@joecausey8508]

From the artist's point of view the planet is closer to him than the star.

[@Graeme_Lastname]

Love this but ... The nearest possibility for life outside the solar system doesn't seem to be evidence based. ;P

[@aleksisrauhvargers]

Good job, keep it up! Just, for the love of God, do not send there any radio signals...

[@bobboberts6169]

They have already been receiving our radio signals for the last 60 years, IF any intelligent life is there with radio technology.

[@bangyahead1]

hundred years.

[@Borengar629]

If they would use radio technology so would we... just saying ;)

[@cagoulerarmer4840]

ils nous l'annonce petit a petit ou bien il nous voiles la face ...

[@Iw4wIfmsIwonlaaailG]

I personally do not believe a planet like Earth will exist so close to us. People also believed Venus would be Earth-like, they were wrong, very, very, wrong.... and if you take the distance Venus is from Earth, and also take into account the technological progression from that time(which was not linear, more exponential-based)....It makes me feel it will be another Venus-scenario, that place will not be Earth-like.... OR at its best: I'm thinking it will be like Mars. Waiting for 26/30 years for a maybe is pretty sh*t, its better if you take into account that in space there are so few maybes to begin with (its a pretty empty void type place where pretty much everything is not like Earth), I hope humanity is not pooling too much resources in this "maybe"........ It feels like everyone is over-excited, and getting themselves ready for heart-breaking disappointment (here's a tip: stop being excited about anything, that way your heart beats slower and you live longer)....

[@jamesrusso2977]

Life Force didn't limit its power and influence to this little spot in this one Galaxy. Remember that many religious texts speak of an omnipotent "God." Stating unequivocally that this is IT, is placing limits on the Omnipotent One! That's blasphemy.

[@damiensuil2183]

the narrator needs to have my babies!

[@mohammadamitshah7714]

After giving final exams I'll go there with my girlfriend

[@dimaroy2311]

Я что один русский?

[@user-wq8yq9el6v]

Да гимарой )))

[@user-ve1cx3xz2h]

Мультик для детей Лунтик

[@user-wq8yq9el6v]

это уже неважно планета сгорела уже тогда когда её засекли)))

[@crublah]

get to the moon first...

[@Evrastrim]

get the earth first

[@crublah]

Evrastrim leave the earth first

[@Evrastrim]

cruh bang Ukraine first

[@crublah]

Evrastrim ??

[@alenparker3056]

We will acquire the ability to travel at certain % of light speed within the next few decades or less, the moon has been explored and landed on by tech that your calculator uses. Nano tech, which is this generation, propulsed by light beams will allow for speeds up and around 160934400 km/hour travel. Considering the fact that if you travel at the speed of light which is 1079252848.8 km/hour, your physical composition will be flattened to the thickness of a paper, making it impossible for biologically created beings to go that fast, not even considering that 9G is the max a normal human can withstand, even then not for too long. This means, nano tech, light propulsion, this will enable us to travel trough interstellar and into the closest star in roughly 20 years time, instead of 20 000 yrs. Your current standing on our achievements is obviously false, I beg you to reconsider. In roughly 30 years from now, we will achieve unimaginable things at the moment, remember, it only took the world 25 years to go from destroying itself to landing on another planetary body.

[@BEDINSSGUKRAINE]

Man this is really stupid, why people think that you can analyze the light and predict that some distance star is actually earth like planet. It can be true, but you should know what we see in space is past, events which already happen (do you know how long the light travels?), we got only a screenshot from some time point , my best guest by the time when we arrive to the star (takes at least 200 years) will be probably disappointment or our next generation wouldn't know what to do with this discovery. Anyway i assume this is another hype campaign for tax payers to finance non important science projects.If you ask me was it worth to finance the research of distant star, i would definitely say NO, we don't need that kind of research!

[@MrYourFilm]

AS much as I respect your opinion, I believe that the scientist researching this very planet for decades, know more than you do. If not, you'd be one of the scientists on their team.

[@joecausey8508]

If Columbus had never gone exploring we'd all be speaking Spanish.

[@BEDINSSGUKRAINE]

nope, i belong to renegade science groups, actually its some sort of anarchy, we do not believe in the second law of thermodynamic, we actually doing experiments by ourselves in small garage laboratory, no government involved, some sort of entrepreneurship and real result's. Do i believe in god, sure but i am not fanatic, like great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said "Companions the creator seeks, not corpses, not herds and believers. Fellow creators the creator seeks--those who write new values on new tablets. Companions the creator seeks, and fellow harvesters; for everything about him is ripe for the harvest. "

[@BEDINSSGUKRAINE]

People you don't understand, this news is hype pure, does anybody heard about energy from the vacuum, nope nobody, why you should care about this discovery how it will change the life on Earth? We still burn coal and use nuclear energy, my own data analysis show, if we do not develop kind of renewable energy source, we all end up in wars and regional conflicts in like 100 years from now. Do we need space explore , 100%,but we need kind of revolution in energy industry, we must develop engines which can use the fabric of space itself and i know US have such technologies, but they keep them at bay for catastrophic events, not sure who would then use them if all society will break and we end up at each throat....

[@ljdean1956]

You worry about the money spent on this kind of research? I wonder if you realize the US national debt alone would pay for thousands of telescopes like the telescopes at Paranal Observatory. Or pay for over a thousand NASAs in their entirety. Point being, ESO could shut down the Paranal observatory and it would make no substantial difference on anything. Even US social spending would dwarf spending on operations like Paranal. You worry about fossil fuels yet fail to realize the fallout of the kind of propulsion required just to send an unmanned probe to Proxima Centauri? Fallout such as high energy plasma power that could result from our first attempts to harness plasma propulsion. You should avoid assumption. ESO Paranal is not financed by US taxpayers at all as far as I know. Even if it were, it would be a meager amount compared to what we waste on debt, deficit spending, wars in places we claimed we'd somehow democratize. Places that do not want democracy. A 2010 audit on social spending and Medicare found that they wasted $125B dollars and didn't know what happened to the money. That's nearly 6 times NASAs annual budget. And these audits have found similar waste year after year with no real fixes. Nobody is going to suddenly propose sending anything to Proxima Centauri b until a helluva lot more is known about it and that'll be decades from now. Humanity has the remarkable capacity to walk and chew gum simultaneously just in case you haven't noticed. Some of us think this is worth the effort considering the very small price compared to far larger wastes of money.

[@palfers1]

I wish Yank women would cop a clue from how this woman talks. She does not block her nose and sound like a nasal drip. She uses her mouth AND her nose to speak, and she sounds wonderful. Note also the complete absence of vocal fry, also beloved of Yank women. Yuk!!! Enough with those whiney, croaking Yank women.