How to Characterize Proxima b's Atmosphere

How to Characterize Proxima b's Atmosphere

Published: September 23, 2026

Duration: 7:12

As regular watchers of the channel may remember, this summer astronomers announced the discovery of a potentially Earth-like planet orbiting our nearest star, Proxima Centauri. Sadly, research at the Cool Worlds Lab was unable to find any evidence that Proxima b transits its star, which is a blow for those hoping for near-term characterization of its atmosphere. But! Dr Jayne Birkby comes to the rescue and explains here how an alternative technique should work if we can wait a few years! Thanks to Jayne for visiting the lab and giving us all some hope for Proxima!

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