title: A terrestrial planet candidate in a temperate orbit around Proxima Centauri.
abstract: At a distance of 1.295 parsecs, the red dwarf Proxima Centauri (α Centauri C, GL 551, HIP 70890 or simply Proxima) is the Sun's closest stellar neighbour and one of the best-studied low-mass stars. It has an effective temperature of only around 3,050 kelvin, a luminosity of 0.15 per cent of that of the Sun, a measured radius of 14 per cent of the radius of the Sun and a mass of about 12 per cent of the mass of the Sun. Although Proxima is considered a moderately active star, its rotation period is about 83 days (ref. 3) and its quiescent activity levels and X-ray luminosity are comparable to those of the Sun. Here we report observations that reveal the presence of a small planet with a minimum mass of about 1.3 Earth masses orbiting Proxima with a period of approximately 11.2 days at a semi-major-axis distance of around 0.05 astronomical units. Its equilibrium temperature is within the range where water could be liquid on its surface.
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors: Guillem
authors: G
authors: Anglada-Escudé
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Pedro J
authors: PJ
authors: Amado
authors: Department of Physical Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Barnes
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Zaira M
authors: ZM
authors: Berdiñas
authors: Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington DC 20015, USA.
authors: R Paul
authors: RP
authors: Butler
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors: Gavin A L
authors: GA
authors: Coleman
authors: Astroimagen, C. Abad y Lasierra, 58 Bis, 6-2, 07800 Ibiza, Spain.
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: de la Cueva
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Dreizler
authors: McDonald Observatory, the University of Texas at Austin, 2515 Speedway, C1400, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Endl
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Giesers
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Sandra V
authors: SV
authors: Jeffers
authors: Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Camino El Observatorio 1515, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
authors: James S
authors: JS
authors: Jenkins
authors: Centre for Astrophysics Research, Science &Technology Research Institute, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK.
authors: Hugh R A
authors: HR
authors: Jones
authors: Warsaw University Observatory, Aleje Ujazdowskie 4, Warszawa, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Kiraga
authors: Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Kürster
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Marίa J
authors: MJ
authors: López-González
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Marvin
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Nicolás
authors: N
authors: Morales
authors: Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Place E. Bataillon-CC 72, 34095 Montpellier Cédex 05, France.
authors: Julien
authors: J
authors: Morin
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors: Richard P
authors: RP
authors: Nelson
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Ortiz
authors: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl Street, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors: Aviv
authors: A
authors: Ofir
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors: Sijme-Jan
authors: SJ
authors: Paardekooper
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Ansgar
authors: A
authors: Reiners
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Eloy
authors: E
authors: Rodríguez
authors: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, E-18008 Granada, Spain.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Rodrίguez-López
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Luis F
authors: LF
authors: Sarmiento
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Strachan
authors: Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Mönchhofstrasse 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Yiannis
authors: Y
authors: Tsapras
authors: Centre for Astrophysics Research, Science &Technology Research Institute, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK.
authors: Mikko
authors: M
authors: Tuomi
authors: Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Mathias
authors: M
authors: Zechmeister
mesh_terms: D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment / Q000737:chemistry; D016083:Planets; D012399:Rotation; D055609:Stars, Celestial; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water