James Webb Telescope Uncovers Unexpected Atmosphere on Super-Hot Exoplanet TOI-561 b

Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have made a remarkable discovery: the exoplanet TOI-561 b, a super-hot, rapidly orbiting rocky world, appears to possess a substantial atmosphere. This finding challenges previous assumptions, as scientists initially believed such an extreme environment would prevent any gas from remaining. Webb’s observations indicate that TOI-561 b is significantly cooler than predicted for a planet without an atmosphere, suggesting the presence of a gas layer that effectively distributes heat over a vast, molten magma ocean. This peculiar celestial body, which completes an orbit in just over 10 hours and is tidally locked with one side perpetually facing its star, might also be abundant in volatile compounds, potentially resembling a ‘wet lava ball’ as described by researchers.