Short answers, pulled from the story.
Astronomers from the European Southern Observatory declared the discovery of Proxima Centauri b on the 24th of August 2016. This announcement confirmed the existence of a planet orbiting the closest star to our Sun.
Current models suggest Proxima Centauri b possesses a minimum mass roughly 1.3 times that of Earth. If the orbital tilt aligns with the host star's rotation at 47 degrees, the actual mass would reach about 1.5 Earth masses.
Proxima Centauri emits intense bursts of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation that threaten any surrounding atmosphere. The star receives about 10 to 60 times more high-energy radiation than Earth does daily, which can strip away hydrogen atoms along with oxygen and nitrogen.
The planet likely rotates once per orbit, keeping one side permanently facing its parent star in a state known as tidal lock. Simulations show possibilities ranging from ice-covered surfaces to vast liquid oceans depending on this extreme climate condition.
No spacecraft has yet reached Proxima Centauri b due to the immense distance involved requiring approximately seventy-five thousand years for Voyager 2 to arrive. Proposed technologies include solar sails capable of reaching twenty percent light speed within human lifespans.