HABITABLE POSSIBILITY ON PROXIMA CENTAURI B

Jody Marich G. Villaluz

University of Mindanao Digos College
Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines

October 2022

Theory provides significant guidelines and trails for the conduct of research by pointing
to areas that are most likely to be fruitful, that is, areas in which meaningful relationships among
variables are likely to be found. It is useful to figure out things beyond our common knowledge.
Like discovering our planet Earth. Earth was once unknown. It is really unstable and hard to say
that it is habitable since it was once a big lava ball. But with theories, people discovered why
Earth is a home to diverse life from then until now.
But even though life is diverse and adaptable, according to Edwin Vega, unfortunately,
the planet Earth may die due to many reasons. Pollution of air, water, and soil may require
millions of years to recover. Global warming causes extreme weather changes and sometimes
may lead to forest fires, heatwaves, and severe tropical storms around the globe. More than a
million of species have become extinct due to the global warming. Biggest contributor of global
warming is from humans, like harmful gases from factories. Overpopulation reaches
unsustainable levels as it faces shortage of resources. Waste disposal because many people are
not into recycling. They throw wastes everywhere, affecting the life on earth. Life is diverse and
adaptable.
Fortunately, today, a group of thirty-one scientists, led by Guillem Anglada-Escude at the
Queen Mary University of London, UK, announced the discovery of a terrestrial exoplanet
orbiting Proxima Centauri. The discovery of this planet, Proxima Centauri b, is a huge
breakthrough not just for astronomers but for all of us.
Proxima Centauri b (or Proxima b), sometimes referred to as Alpha Centauri Cb, is an
exoplanet orbiting in the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, which is the
closest star to the Sun and part of the triple star system Alpha Centauri.
Announced on 24 August 2016 by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), Proxima
Centauri b was confirmed via several years of using the method of studying the radial velocity of
its parent star. Furthermore, the discovery of Proxima Centauri b, a planet at habitable distances
from the closest star to the Solar System, was a major discovery in planetology.
Proxima Centauri b is located within the classical habitable zone of its star. It is also the
nearest habitable planet outside our solar system. It is believed to be Earth-like since it is 1.3x of
Earth’s mass, 1.1 of Earth’s radius, and has similar density with Earth.
Proxima Centauri b orbits a red dwarf star called Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is
lesser since it is 25% smaller and 50% lighter than our sun. Meaning to say, this is a good news.
The smaller a star, the lower the temperature it burns. It would roughly take trillions of years to
burn through all its hydrogen supply. Unlike our sun which has a lifespan of 10 billion years
only. Two climate models of scientists at the University of Exeter and the British Meteorological
Office, exceeded their boldest expectations of researches showing a stable climate.
Observation is a bit tough. Best way to do that would be to directly image the planet
using the giant telescopes equipped with extreme adaptive optics that are currently being built
(i.e., the E-ELT, TMT, GMT). The angular separation between the star and the planet is 39 milli-
arcsec, so a telescope as large as 30 m could resolve the system with the right instrument,
detecting the planet and possibly giving us insights into its composition.
Water. Where there is water, there is life. It is also possible that Proxima Centauri b had a
primordial hydrogen atmosphere or formed farther away from its star, which would have reduced
the escape of water. If an atmosphere exists, it is likely to contain oxygen-bearing gases such as
oxygen and carbon dioxide. Together with the star's magnetic activity, they would give rise to
aurorae that could be observed from Earth if the planet has a magnetic field.
About atmosphere, strong irradiation by UV radiation and X-rays from Proxima Centauri
constitutes a challenge to habitability. Proxima Centauri b receives about 10-60 times as much of
this radiation especially X-rays, as Earth. But, even if Proxima Centauri b lost its original
atmosphere, volcanic activity could rebuild it after some time. A second atmosphere would likely
contain carbon dioxide, which would form a more stable atmosphere than an Earth-like
atmosphere. In the case of Earth, the amount of water contained within the mantle might
approach that of one Earth ocean. Additionally, impacts of exocomets could resupply water to
Proxima Centauri b, if they are present. In addition, it might develop a thicker atmosphere when
it was younger as remnants in case of solar flares.
Distance. The Proxima Centauri b is 4.3 light-years away. In a speed of light, it would
take us 4.3 years to reach it from Earth. Even the fastest spacecraft built by humans would take a
long time to travel interstellar distances; Voyager 2 would take about 75,000 years to reach
Proxima Centauri. Among the proposed technologies to reach Proxima Centauri b in human
lifespans are solar sails that could reach speeds of 20% the speed of light; problems would be
how to decelerate a probe when it arrives in the Proxima Centauri system and collisions of the
high-speed probes with interstellar particles. Among the projects of travelling to Proxima
Centauri b are the Breakthrough Starshot project, which aims to develop instruments and power
systems that can reach Proxima Centauri in the 21st century.
There is a habitable possibility in Proxima Centauri b. If it developed a thicker
atmosphere when it was younger as remnants in case of solar flares, it is possible that it also has
water within its surface as well. Or if not, there may be sprouting volcanoes which may help
rebuild the atmosphere. Both of the possibilities may lead to development of water within the
said planet. And if there is water, there is life.
In terms of distance, the technology is ever refining. It always finds way to help unravel
problems and confusion. Someday, the fact that something can transport us there in short period
of time is inevitable. Scientists and innovators are in constant search for development and
betterment, so it id never impossible to take ourselves there someday.
I firmly believe that discovery is as important to our survival as is food, water, and
protection from the elements. What are we if we are not continually discovering the
unknown? The world and universe is very large, and we could not possibly discover all
there is to discover in one lifetime. If we are not discovering, then what are we doing?
Then where are we going? Then Who are we becoming? Then why are we living? Then
when will we start? This theory may be used as a starting point for another investigation
and discovery for us to have a new planet we can call home.

References:

Proxima Centauri b. (2022, October 3). In Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxima_Centauri_b

Destiny. (2022, August 25). There May Be Life in The Closest Star System To Earth! [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6VslV4zs8U

What If. (2020, March 29). What If We Relocated Humanity to Proxima B? [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD_gmEw6ZyI&t=271s

(2018). 5 Reasons why the earth is dying. Edwin Vega.

https://prezi.com/fv-o-hcea5j-/5-reasons-why-the-earth-is-dying/

(2016, August 24). Proxima Centauri b: Have we just found Earth’s cousin right on our
doorstep? The Planetary Society. https://www.planetary.org/articles/0824-proxima-centauri-b-
have-we