Scientists in England recently discovered a new exoplanet, a planet outside our solar system.
It circles Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to our sun. That makes it the closest known exoplanet to Earth!
Astronomers found evidence that the planet, called Proxima b, shares some characteristics with Earth. They think it’s about the same size as Earth and also has a rocky surface. Like Earth, it’s also the right temperature for liquid water to exist without freezing or turning to gas. All known living things need liquid water to survive.
Scientists next plan to use new telescopes to look for signs that life could exist on Proxima b.