description Proxima Centauri c Overview
Proxima Centauri c is a proposed planet candidate orbiting Proxima Centauri, the nearest known star to the Sun. The candidate was announced in 2020 from a combination of radial-velocity and astrometric evidence and was estimated to orbit at roughly 1.5 astronomical units. Its inferred orbit would place it in a cold region, far beyond the star's habitable zone. The planet's existence and properties remain less secure than those of Proxima b.
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Is Proxima Centauri c a confirmed exoplanet?
It remains a proposed or candidate planet rather than a securely confirmed world. The candidate was announced in 2020 from combined radial-velocity and astrometric evidence.
How far from Proxima Centauri would Proxima c orbit?
The proposed orbit is roughly 1.5 astronomical units from Proxima Centauri, much farther out than Proxima b at about 0.05 AU. That distance is an orbital estimate, not a direct photograph of the planet.
How was Proxima Centauri c detected if it does not transit?
The 2020 claim combined a small radial-velocity signal with astrometric motion, which tracks a star's position on the sky. Because no transit is needed for either method, the candidate can be studied even if its orbital alignment does not cross Proxima from Earth's viewpoint.
Could Proxima Centauri c be habitable?
There is not enough evidence to call it habitable: its planetary status is still debated, and astronomers do not have a confirmed atmosphere or surface. Proxima b, the 11.2-day companion, is the Proxima planet more often discussed in the context of a temperate orbit.
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