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Summary
DescriptionThe motion of Proxima Centauri in 2016, revealing the fingerprints of a planet.jpg
English: This plot shows how the motion of Proxima Centauri towards and away from Earth is changing with time over the first half of 2016. Sometimes Proxima Centauri is approaching Earth at about 5 kilometres per hour — normal human walking pace — and at times receding at the same speed. This regular pattern of changing radial velocities repeats with a period of 11.2 days. Careful analysis of the resulting tiny Doppler shifts showed that they indicated the presence of a planet with a mass at least 1.3 times that of the Earth, orbiting about 7 million kilometres from Proxima Centauri — only 5% of the Earth-Sun distance.
Français : Ce graphe montre les variations de mouvement de Proxima Centauri au cours du premier semestre 2016. A certaines périodes, Proxima du Centaure se déplace en direction de la Terre à une vitesse proche de 5 kilomètres par heure – ce qui équivaut au rythme normal de la marche humaine. A d’autres périodes, Proxima du Centaure s’en éloigne à la même vitesse. Ce schéma régulier de l’évolution des vitesses radiales se répète tous les 11,2 jours. L’analyse minutieuse des faibles décalages Doppler qui en résultent révèle la présence d’une planète dotée d’une masse voisine de 1,3 masse terrestre, et distante de quelque 7 millions de kilomètres de Proxima du Cantaure – ce qui ne représente que 5% de la distance Terre-Soleil.
Deutsch: Die Bewegung von Proxima Centauri in 2016 verrät einen Planeten und dessen Eigenschaften
Die Abbildung zeigt für die erste Jahreshälfte von 2016, wie sich Proxima Centauri von der Erde weg bzw. auf sie zu bewegt. Zeitweise bewegt sich Proxima Centauri mit 5 Kilometer pro Stunde auf die Erde zu – normale Gehgeschwindigkeit – dann wieder entfernt er sich mit derselben Geschwindigkeit. Dieses regelmäßige Muster der sich verändernden Radialgeschwindigkeiten wiederholt sich mit einer Periode von 11,2 Tagen. Eine sorgfältige Analyse der kleinen Dopplerverschiebungen im Spektrum des Sternes ergab die Anwesenheit eines Planeten mit einer Masse von zumindest 1,3 Erdmassen und einer Entfernung von Proxima Centauri von 7 Millionen Kilometer – nur 5 % der Sonne-Erde Entfernung.
Español: Este diagrama muestra cómo el movimiento de Próxima Centauri, acercándose y alejándose de la Tierra, cambia con el tiempo durante el primer semestre de 2016. A veces, Próxima Centauri se aproxima a la Tierra a unos 5 kilómetros por hora –el ritmo de una marcha humana normal- y, a veces, retrocede a la misma velocidad. Este patrón regular de cambio de velocidades radiales se repite con un período de 11,2 días. Un análisis cuidadoso de los minúsculos cambios en el efecto Doppler indicó la presencia de un planeta con una masa al menos 1,3 veces mayor que la de la Tierra, orbitando a unos 7 millones kilómetros de Próxima Centauri -sólo el 5% de la distancia Sol-Tierra.
Português: Este gráfico mostra como o movimento da Proxima Centauri, aproximando-se e afastando-se da Terra, varia com o tempo na primeira metade de 2016. Há alturas em que a Proxima Centauri se aproxima da Terra com uma velocidade de cerca de 5 km/hora — a velocidade normal de andamento de um ser humano — e outras alturas em que se afasta à mesma velocidade. Este padrão regular de variação nas velocidades radiais repete-se com um período de 11,2 dias. Uma análise cuidada dos minúsculos desvios de Doppler resultantes mostrou que estes desvios indicam a presença de um planeta com uma massa de pelo menos 1,3 vezes a massa da Terra, orbitando a cerca de 7 milhões de km da Proxima Centauri — apenas 5% da distância Terra-Sol.
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Credit/Provider
ESO/G. Anglada-Escudé
Source
European Southern Observatory
Short title
The motion of Proxima Centauri in 2016, revealing the fingerprints of a planet
Image title
This plot shows how the motion of Proxima Centauri towards and away from Earth is changing with time over the first half of 2016. Sometimes Proxima Centauri is approaching Earth at about 5 kilometres per hour — normal human walking pace — and at times receding at the same speed. This regular pattern of changing radial velocities repeats with a period of 11.2 days. Careful analysis of the resulting tiny Doppler shifts showed that they indicated the presence of a planet with a mass at least 1.3 times that of the Earth, orbiting about 7 million kilometres from Proxima Centauri — only 5% of the Earth-Sun distance.
Usage terms
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Date and time of data generation
19:00, 24 August 2016
JPEG file comment
This plot shows how the motion of Proxima Centauri towards and away from Earth is changing with time over the first half of 2016. Sometimes Proxima Centauri is approaching Earth at about 5 kilometres per hour — normal human walking pace — and at times receding at the same speed. This regular pattern of changing radial velocities repeats with a period of 11.2 days. Careful analysis of the resulting tiny Doppler shifts showed that they indicated the presence of a planet with a mass at least 1.3 times that of the Earth, orbiting about 7 million kilometres from Proxima Centauri — only 5% of the Earth-Sun distance.