<P> On August 24 , 2016 , astronomers announced the discovery of a rocky planet in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri , the closest star to Earth . Called Proxima b , the planet is 1.3 times the mass of Earth and has an orbital period of roughly 11.2 Earth days . However Proxima Centauri 's classification as a red dwarf casts doubts on the habitability of any exoplanets in its orbit due to low stellar flux , high probability of tidal locking , small circumstellar habitable zones and high stellar variation . Another likely candidate is Alpha Centauri , Earth 's nearest Sun - like star system 4.37 light years away . Estimates place the probability of finding a habitable planet around Alpha Centauri A or B at roughly 85 % . Alpha Centauri is the target of several exoplanet - finding missions , including Breakthrough Starshot and Mission Centaur , the latter of which is chronicled in the 2016 documentary film , `` The Search for Earth Proxima . '' </P>
<P> On August 24 , 2016 , astronomers announced the discovery of a rocky planet in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri , the closest star to Earth . Called Proxima b , the planet is 1.3 times the mass of Earth and has an orbital period of roughly 11.2 Earth days . However Proxima Centauri 's classification as a red dwarf casts doubts on the habitability of any exoplanets in its orbit due to low stellar flux , high probability of tidal locking , small circumstellar habitable zones and high stellar variation . Another likely candidate is Alpha Centauri , Earth 's nearest Sun - like star system 4.37 light years away . Estimates place the probability of finding a habitable planet around Alpha Centauri A or B at roughly 85 % . Alpha Centauri is the target of several exoplanet - finding missions , including Breakthrough Starshot and Mission Centaur , the latter of which is chronicled in the 2016 documentary film , `` The Search for Earth Proxima . '' </P>
what 's the closest habitable planet to earth
what 's the closest habitable planet to earth
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri