James Webb discovers a scorching lava planet with a “giant sunscreen”
· sciencedaily.com · popularity 26/100 · 0 similar stories today · Space & Astronomy (Space & Astronomy)
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Summary
A scorching lava planet 280 light-years away has surprised astronomers by apparently maintaining a thick atmosphere despite conditions that should have stripped it away billions of years ago. James Webb Space Telescope observations suggest that TOI-561 b reflects about 75% of incoming starlight, possibly because of mineral clouds that act like a giant sunscreen. The planet may also be continually replenishing its atmosphere through gases released from a global ocean of molten rock.
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