Scientists Discover Planet With Lava Ocean 100km Deep, Supersonic Winds

Scientists have discovered an exoplanet just on the edge of the solar system, and it's a fiery world of lava.

Research on an exoplanet named K2-141b indicates that the Earth-sized planet possesses extreme weather conditions, due to its proximity to its host star. The study was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, where researchers found that K2-141b's surface, ocean, and atmosphere were all made up of the same ingredients.

The discovery of K2-141b, which is considered lava planet, is a big deal to scientists as it gives them a glimpse of the stages of planetary evolution. A number of extreme planets had already been discovered.

Exoplanets such as this are so close to their host star that they remain gravitationally locked in place, which means that the same side always faces the star. According to the study, the atmosphere and weather cycle of exoplanets such as K2-141b can be extreme. On K2-14b, winds can rage more than 3,000 miles per hour, and planet's magma ocean is likely 100 km (62 miles) deep.

“The study is the first to make predictions about weather conditions on K2-141b that can be detected from hundreds of light years away with next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope,” says lead author Giang Nguyen, a PhD student at York University who worked under the supervision of McGill University Professor Nicolas Cowan.

Scientists believe that much of the planet is covered in lava, and that its rocks evaporate into the atmosphere.

According to a Thursday article published on Space.com, scientists believe K2-141b is "an especially good target for atmospheric observation.