[astro-ph.EP] We present an HST/WFC3 G141 phase-curve observation of the ultra-short-period rocky planet TOI-2431 b and detect its secondary eclipse in the near infrared.
lava world
Posted inLava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds
Revealing The Shiny Nature Of Lava Worlds: Small Planet Phase Curves With TESS
[astro-ph.EP] Recent thermal emission observations suggest that `lava worlds’–Earth-sized exoplanets hot enough to melt their silicate surfaces–have atmospheres on a population-level.
Posted inLava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds
Thermal Evolution of Lava Planets Across System Ages: Predictions for Hell of a Survey
[astro-ph.EP] Ultra-short-period (USP) rocky exoplanets can have dayside temperatures high enough to maintain permanent magma oceans, sitting at the intersection of interior geophysics and atmospheric chemistry. Coupled feedbacks between the […]
Posted inLava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds
Atmosphere Detected On The Coldest Lava World To Date
[University of Chicago] In the search for extraterrestrial life, it makes sense to first look for rocky planets with an atmosphere, like Earth. Without an atmosphere, a planet can’t have […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
An Evolving Cosmic Shoreline and Sandbar Bounding the Rocky Airless Valley
[astro-ph.EP] Recent JWST observations challenge the traditional ‘cosmic shoreline’ from both sides, revealing thick volatile atmospheres on the hottest close-in ‘lava worlds,’ where irradiation should drive the most extreme escape, […]
![An artist’s rendering of “cosmic sandbar” planet TOI-561b orbiting its star, with its atmosphere illuminated. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford [STScI])](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Why-Some.jpg?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inLava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds
Why Some Planets Have Theory-defying Atmospheres
[Stanford University] Stanford researchers have offered a compelling explanation for why some sizzling, lava-covered worlds nestled tightly around their stars can keep hold of their atmospheres. At such close quarters, […]
Posted inIo
Lava World Recon: Juno Measures Subsurface Temperature Of Io
[SwRI] NASA’s Juno mission has made the first direct measurements of the temperature below the surface of Jupiter’s moon Io, which reveal significant heating in the upper few feet of […]
Posted inVenus
Venus: Dead? Far From It
[ETH Zurich] Simulations conducted by researchers at ETH Zurich suggest a strong likelihood that Venus’s rift valleys are still geologically active rather than being mere relics of a bygone era, […]
Posted inIo
Lava World Recon: Juno Studies Io’s Volcanoes
[NASA] NASA’s Juno mission has provided the first measurements of the temperature below the surface of Jupiter’s moon Io, revealing significant heating within the shallow subsurface of the most volcanically […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology
Fire And Ice: Were Yellowstone’s Past Volcanic Eruptions And Glaciations Related?
[USGS/Yellowstone Volcano Observatory] Yellowstone is a land of fire and ice. Not only does it have a history of different styles of volcanic eruptions, but it has also been covered […]