Scientists using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have taken a closer look at 55 Cancri e, a super-Earth about 41 light years from Earth that orbits its star in only about 0.7 days. The findings were submitted to Nature Astronomy, according to ScienceDaily.
The planet is roughly 1.88 times Earth’s radius and about eight times Earth’s mass. Because it circles so close to its star, researchers believe its surface is hot enough to stay molten.
After observing five eclipses of 55 Cancri e with JWST, the team compared the data with long-standing models of rocky exoplanets. Those models had generally predicted atmospheres dominated by carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
Instead, the observations pointed to an atmosphere with abundant carbon monoxide, relatively little carbon dioxide, and unexpectedly large amounts of hydrogen. The researchers also found changes between the five eclipse measurements, which they said could be caused by volcanic outgassing or clouds formed from material released by the planet’s interior.
According to the researchers, the atmosphere may offer a rare look at the chemistry inside a rocky world. They say 55 Cancri e and other lava planets could help scientists better understand how extreme planets form and evolve.
