

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope Confirms Closest Rocky Exoplanet - Thorondor
http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-spitzer-confirms-closest-rocky-exoplanet

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Gys
'Dubbed HD 219134b, this exoplanet, which orbits too close to its star to
sustain life, is a mere 21 light-years away.'

There are closer planets, but their composition is unknown:

'For reference, the closest known planet is GJ674b at 14.8 light-years away;
its composition is unknown.'

So the main reason why this is exiting:

'Only a small fraction of exoplanets can be detected transiting their stars
due to their relative orientation to Earth. When the orientation is just
right, the planet’s orbit places it between its star and Earth, dimming the
detectable light of its star. It’s this dimming of the star that is actually
captured by observatories such as Spitzer, and can reveal not only the size of
the planet but also clues about its composition.'

