Astronomers say it is seen as a “pale red dot” in the sky. The name comes from the star Proxima Centauri, which is classified as a Red Dwarf star. The confirmation of this planet came from a team of astronomers that call themselves “The Pale Red Dot Campaign.” He told VOA that finding Proxima b “makes the case concrete” that there are other planets where life could exist. Paul Butler works at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. “I am 65,” he told VOA, “but I expect to still be alive when it happens.” Boss said he believes human beings will prove that there is life in places other than Earth in his lifetime. This makes the possibility of living organisms increasingly likely. That is, anywhere from 250 billion to 500 billion “Earths.” So from the early estimates of a billion, this new research suggests there may be as many possible Earth-like planets as there are stars in our galaxy. He told VOA that Proxima b not only confirms the discovery of a planet, but also increases the number of other possible “Earths” by a huge amount.īoss said it is possible, even likely, that most stars have at least one earth-like planet orbiting them, which he considers “ astounding.” In 2013, scientists’ best guess was that there are about a billion “Earths” in the universe.Īlan Boss is the Chair of NASA’s advisory group for Exoplanet exploration. The American space agency NASA has been using the Kepler telescope and other instruments for years to look for earth-like planets. It orbits its sun - Proxima Centauri – once every 11 days. The newly-discovered planet is a little larger than Earth. Because the exoplanet exists, scientists say, other Earth-like planets may be everywhere in our galaxy. That is, if the planet has an atmosphere. Scientists have long thought that a planet with water and a not-too-hot, but not-too-cold climate are important for life. Artist's impression of the planet orbiting Proxima Centauri.