Photo: NASA
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a dark, scorched world that resembles Mercury or the Moon, but is about 30% larger than Earth, according to Science Alert.
The exoplanet, known as LHS 3844b, was first detected in 2018 and is located approximately 50 light-years from Earth. It orbits extremely close to its host star, completing a full revolution in just 11 hours. Its parent star is a red dwarf, with only about one-fifth the mass and size of our Sun.
Because of its very close orbit, the planet is likely completely stripped of any atmosphere it may once have had due to intense stellar radiation. LHS 3844b is tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces its star and is constantly exposed to intense heat, while the other side remains in eternal darkness. Temperatures on the dayside are estimated to reach around 1000 Kelvin.
Earlier studies suggested possible signs of tectonic activity similar to Earth’s crust, which would have made it a rare case outside our Solar System. However, newer observations indicate a different reality.
Using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists observed the planet and captured its infrared emission spectrum, effectively creating a “light fingerprint” of the surface. Since different materials emit and absorb light at specific wavelengths, this allows researchers to infer its composition.
The results suggest that the surface may resemble lunar or terrestrial basalt — an igneous rock formed from rapidly cooled lava rich in magnesium and iron. It may even resemble Earth’s mantle material rather than the thin crust that covers our planet.
According to researchers, there are two possible explanations. One is that the surface consists of relatively young rocky material, potentially indicating some form of geological or volcanic activity on LHS 3844b. The other is that it is a dead world covered in regolith, shaped over billions of years by radiation and meteor impacts, with no atmosphere to protect it.
Scientists conclude that Earth-like plate tectonics are unlikely or ineffective on this planet, and it probably contains very little water.
