Astronomers to Announce "Earth-Like" Planet at Proxima Centauri

astroengine writes: Scientists are preparing to unveil a new planet in our galactic neighborhood which is "believed to be Earth-like" and orbits its star at a distance that could favor life, German weekly Der Spiegel reported Friday. The exoplanet orbits a well-investigated star called Proxima Centauri, part of the Alpha Centauri star system, the magazine said, quoting anonymous sources. "The still nameless planet is believed to be Earth-like and orbits at a distance to Proxima Centauri that could allow it to have liquid water on its surface — an important requirement for the emergence of life," said the magazine. Though we need to be cautious of any report before an official announcement, this could be very exciting news as Proxima is, theoretically, within reach of an interstellar probe.