Jupiter stands high in the east at daybreak. It’s the brightest point of light in the sky at that hour, so you can’t miss it.
Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanic world in the solar system. But some planets in other star systems could give Io some competition. Their daysides could feature hundreds of giant volcanoes, and be paved with molten rock.
One example is LP 791-18d. It’s about the same size and mass as Earth. It orbits a small, cool star. But it’s so close to the star that its surface is extremely hot. And it’s made even hotter by the gravitational tug of two other worlds. They squeeze and stretch the planet’s interior, heating it enough to create volcanoes.
A recent study says that volcanic gases could form an atmosphere. As the air circulates to the nightside, water could condense and fall to the surface – perhaps making that side an abode for life.
Webb Space Telescope recently found evidence of a thick atmosphere around another volcanic world, HD 104067d. The planet is bigger and heavier than Earth. Like the other volcanic planet, it’s quite close to its star. And it’s tugged by the gravity of other planets in the system, heating its interior and forming volcanoes.
Its atmosphere appears to carry a lot of heat from the dayside to the nightside. So the planet isn’t a likely home for life – a hellish world of giant volcanoes.
Tomorrow: helping hands.
Script by Damond Benningfield