Webb finds a surprising atmosphere on a scorching lava world
The James Webb Space Telescope has found strong evidence that the rocky lava world HD 3167 b has an atmosphere, despite circling its star every 24 hours under extreme heat.
The James Webb Space Telescope has found strong evidence that the rocky lava world HD 3167 b has an atmosphere, despite circling its star every 24 hours under extreme heat.
The short version
- The surprising discovery could help scientists understand how rocky planets retain atmospheres and what the young, molten Earth may once have looked like.
- For scientists searching for life beyond Earth, rocky planets with atmospheres are among the most promising places to investigate.
- An atmosphere is essential for maintaining liquid water on a planet's surface.
What happened
Yet among the more than 6,300 exoplanets cataloged thus far, most are not rocky, and only a small number of known rocky planets appear to possess atmospheres. Now, researchers have added another world to that short list.
Why it matters
In a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters , a team led by University of Chicago scientist Brandon Park Coy reports evidence of an atmosphere surrounding HD 3167 b, a rocky super-Earth located 154 light-years away in the constellation Pisces.
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