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- Astronomers have identified a distant exoplanet that is so incredibly extreme, life as we know it wouldn’t last there for a second.
- Temperatures of over 3,000 ° C, oceans of lava and supersonic winds terrorize the planet’s surface, while intense heat vaporizes the rock which then rains down from above.
- The planet is tidal tied to its star and its nighttime temperatures drop below 200 ° C.
In recent years, we’ve learned a lot about exoplanets – planets that exist outside our solar system – thanks to increasingly powerful telescope technology. We have spotted freezing planets and others that are superheated gas spheres. Now, researchers have spotted one that is as hostile as you can imagine.
In a new study published in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices, the researchers describe the planet known as K2-141b, a rocky world the size of Earth that is covered in lava, but that’s not the only reason you wouldn’t want to visit it. The planet also boasts rocks that rain down from above and even winds that move at supersonic speeds. Yes, it is quite gnarled.
As you can imagine, K2-141b is so incredibly hot because it is very close to its host star. This incredibly close relationship has also led to exaggerated extreme conditions on its already uninhabitable surface. This includes precipitation in the form of rocks – yes, rocks – and winds that accelerate around the planet at well over 3,000 miles per hour. It is the absolute peak of “extreme”.
The planet is firmly locked to its star, which means that unlike the Earth, the planet always points one side towards its star and does not rotate freely. The side facing the stars is where you’ll find things like a huge magma ocean, but the downside? Freezing cold temperatures. In fact, the researchers estimate that temperatures on the dark side of the planet drop to as low as -200 ° C, while the side facing the stars is around 3,000 ° C.
Since the heat is so extreme on the day side of the planet, it melts and vaporizes the rock. That rock then follows the same type of precipitation cycle that water does on Earth. It rises high into the atmosphere where it condenses and then falls back to Earth. It is literally raining rock material because of how hot the planet is.
“All the rocky planets, including Earth, were born as fused worlds but then quickly cooled and solidified. The lava planets give us a rare glimpse at this stage of planetary evolution, “says Professor Nicolas Cowan of McGill University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in a statement.
Studying these distant worlds and understanding their evolution over time can help scientists better predict what other planetary systems look like, how they change over time, and what we might expect if we ever attempt to explore these regions of space.
Mike Wehner has been reporting on technology and video games for the past decade, covering the latest news and trends in VR, wearables, smartphones and the technology of the future. Most recently, Mike worked as a Tech Editor at The Daily Dot and appeared on USA Today, Time.com, and countless other websites and print media. His love of reportage is second only to his addiction to games.
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