The James Webb Space Telescope has achieved a technical milestone: detecting heat emitted directly from the surface of an exoplanet. Until now, studies focused on atmospheres, but LHS 3844b, a rocky world similar to Mercury without a gaseous layer, has allowed observation of its perpetual dayside, burning at high temperatures 50 light-years away.
How Webb managed to capture the heat of a rock 50 light-years away 🔥
The team used Webb's MIRI instrument to measure the thermal emission of LHS 3844b in infrared light. Being tidally locked, its dayside always faces the red dwarf star. The absence of an atmosphere allowed the telescope to record the direct heat from the surface, without filters or intermediate layers. The data confirms it is a volcanic and barren desert.
A planet with more attitude than a Monday morning ☀️
LHS 3844b is the neighbor you wouldn't want. With one side always in daylight and no atmosphere, its surface must be a literal hell. If there were a cosmic toaster, this planet would be the most efficient model: constant heat, no clouds to spoil the view. At least, Webb didn't need sunscreen to take its temperature.