New planet could harbour life

PROXIMA B: World orbits nearest star to Earth

A rocky planet that may contain life has been discovered in another solar system, just four light years from Earth and close enough to be reached by future space missions.

The new world – slightly more massive than Earth – orbits Proxima Centauri, our closest stellar neighbour.

In terms of astronomical distance, the planet – known as Proxima b – is right next door. Whether anything lives there is open to speculation but scientists believe, theoretically, that it could be habitable.

While four light years is a long way – more than 25 trillion miles – the planet is near enough to be reached by space craft within the scale of a human lifetime.

Experts believe robotic probes could be sent to Proxima b in years to come. Much further in the future, the planet may even be colonised by space travellers from Earth, assuming conditions on the surface are survivable.

Dr Guillem Anglada-Escude, from Queen Mary University of London, who led an international team of about 30 astronomers, said: “We hope these findings inspire future generations to keep looking beyond the stars. The search for life on Proxima b comes next.”

Colleague Dr Mikko Tuomi, from the University of Hertfordshire, said: “’According to the findings, the planet has a rocky surface and is only a fraction more massive than the Earth.

“It is the closest possible exoplanet to us and may be the closest to support life outside the solar system.”

Pictures: PA. The new world: the astronomers’ discovery was reported in the journal Nature.