È stato scoperto il “gemello” della Terra in assoluto più vicino: è Proxima b, un pianeta roccioso che orbita intorno alla stella “vicina di casa” del nostro Sole, Proxima Centauri.
Con una massa appena maggiore di quella della Terra, ha una distanza dalla sua stella tale che permetterebbe all'acqua liquida di scorrere in superficie, elemento chiave per ospitare la vita.
La scoperta è pubblicata su Nature dal gruppo coordinato dalla Queen Mary University di Londra. La scoperta è il coronamento di una caccia durata ben 16 anni e condotta con il telescopio dell’Osservatorio Europeo Meridionale in Cile.
ATS/SP
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