Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) announced the discovery of Proxima Centauri b, an exoplanet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri. This star is notable for being the nearest known star to the Sun, located approximately 4.24 light-years away. Proxima Centauri b is about 1.3 times the mass of Earth and lies within the star's habitable zone, the region where liquid water could exist on its surface, a crucial factor for the possibility of life. The discovery was made using the radial velocity method, which detects variations in a star's position caused by the gravitational pull of orbiting planets.The ESO team, led by Dr. Guillem Anglada-Escudé, used data collected over multiple years at their observatories in Chile. The findings were a significant leap in the ongoing search for Earth-like planets beyond our solar system. Proxima Centauri b's location in the habitable zone has piqued the interest of scientists and astrobiologists, leading to discussions about the potential for future exploration and studies to determine if life could exist there. The fact that this planet is so close to Earth provides new opportunities for research and exploration efforts, including potential interstellar missions in the coming decades.