page_title: Proxima Centauri
section_title: Planetary system
hierarchical_section_title: Proxima Centauri / Planetary system
caption_attribution_description: English: This artist’s impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. The double star Alpha Centauri AB also appears in the image to the upper-right of Proxima itself. Proxima b is a little more massive than the Earth and orbits in the habitable zone around Proxima Centauri, where the temperature is suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface. Français&#160;: Cette représentation d’artiste montre une vue de la surface de la planète Proxima b en orbite autour de la naine rouge Proxima du Centaure, l’étoile la plus proche du Système Solaire. Le système d’étoiles double Alpha Centauri AB figure en haut à droite de Proxima. Proxima b est dotée d’une masse légèrement supérieure à celle de la Terre et décrit une orbite autour de Proxima Centauri, au sein même de la zone d’habitabilité de cette étoile, de sorte que sa température de surface est compatible avec la présence d’eau liquide.
context_page_description: Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star that is likely a part of the Alpha Centauri star system and is the closest star to the Sun at a distance of
  4.22 light-years. It is in the constellation of Centaurus.
  Proxima Centauri was found to share the same proper motion as Alpha Centauri in 1915 by Robert Innes while he was Director of the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa.
  In 1951, Harlow Shapley said that Proxima Centauri was a flare star. Recorded photographs showed that the star became measurably brighter about 8% of the time, making it the most active flare star then found.
context_section_description: In 2016, a exoplanet was found by the European Southern Observatory around Proxima Centauri, Proxima Centauri b (or Proxima b). It was found in the habitable zone, and was thought to be Earth-like, with an ESI of 0.87. While being Earth-like, it may not be habitable on the surface, since Proxima Centauri gives off strong solar flares and high solar winds, which could strip away parts of the atmosphere of the planet, making it less habitable.
  In October of 2016, scientists at France's CNRS research institute said that the planet may have oceans on its surface, and a thin atmosphere. If this idea is true or not is not known.
  Another planet, Proxima Centauri c, much farther out than b, was discovered in 2019. It is seven times heavier (more massive) than Earth. It is too cold to be habitable. Because it showed up brighter than expected when photos of it were taken, it may have a ring system five times wider than that of Jupiter.
caption: Impression of the surface of Proxima Centauri b. The Alpha Centauri system can be seen as two small stars in the sky.
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