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 mos