Scientists think a new 'super-Earth' planet is possibly orbiting the nearest ...

Scientists think a new 'super-Earth' planet - six times larger than our own -is possibly orbiting the nearest star to our sun - but it would be too cold for life to exist Astronomers say they may have detected a second planet around Proxima Centauri, our solar system's nearest neighboring star The planet's existence remains unconfirmed, for now Dubbed Proxima c, it would be a so-called super-Earth Its 1900-day orbit would also likely make it a frigid, inhospitable place Planet lies some 1.5x the distance from Proxima Centauri as Earth is from the Sun

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 23:57 BST, 13 April 2019 | Updated: 23:57 BST, 13 April 2019

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Scientists believe they may have discovered a new planet orbiting the star which is closest to our sun.

Possibly two planets could be orbiting a small red dwarf called Proxima Centauri which is around 4.24 light-years away.

'We are pleased to show you, for the first time, what is for us a new candidate planet around Proxima that we call Proxima c,' Mario Damasso of Italy's Observatory of Turin announced on Friday during the 2019 Breakthrough Discuss conference.

This artist's impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. However, it is now thought that a second planet, Proxima c is also in orbit around Proxima Centauri

This artist's impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. However, it is now thought that a second planet, Proxima c is also in orbit around Proxima Centauri

Scientists already knew about the first planet, Proxima Centauri b (blue orbit) but believe a second planet orbits around the star and has been called Proxima Centauri c (red orbit)

Scientists already knew about the first planet, Proxima Centauri b (blue orbit) but believe a second planet orbits around the star and has been called Proxima Centauri c (red orbit)

'It is only a candidate,' Damasso says. 'This is very important to underline.'  

If there is a planet orbiting the star, it would be at least six times larger than Earth - giving it the title of a super-Earth.

Its orbit would take around 1,900 days to complete a loop around the star which would

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