Recently, scientists have discovered a rocky exoplanet that rains rock and has a lava ocean. The name of the planet is K2-141b and is 202 light-years away from the earth. Not only similar in size compared to that of the earth, but the planet is also similar to the earth by orbiting around an orange dwarf star just like the earth orbiting around the sun. The initial discovery of K2-141b was in 2018, however, scientists from McGill University, York University, and the Indian Institute of Science Education made a new significant discovery lately. Due to its appearance, K2-141b is known as the hell planet. Lots of features also add to the explanation of the hell planet.

First, the surface and the atmosphere of the planet is composed of rocks. Moreover, the temperature of the planet’s side (⅔ of its surface) reaches about 3000 degrees celsius by receiving an endless light while the other side of the planet reaches about -200 degrees celsius. Since the temperature of the planet is so hot on one side, the surface can melt and even evaporate, which makes raining rocks possible. Because the planet is too close to the star and the gravity of the star is too powerful, the time on the planet is faster than on the earth, taking only 6.7 hours for one orbit.

Also, oceans are composed of magmas and are 100km deep due to the gravity that is two times the earth. Scientists hypothesize that the evolution of K2-141b might be related to the evolution of the earth because the earth was also a rocky planet initially, which quickly cooled and solidified and became a habitable planet.

Scientists are planning to study more about the evolution and conditions of the planet after the James Webb Space Telescope launch. It is important to focus on the findings of exoplanets in order to study the evolution of planets, especially when it resembles the evolution of the earth. Furthermore, since the earth has magma only in volcanoes, it may lead to another finding by analyzing the planet that has magma all over the entire area.

한민지 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

<저작권자 © 강남포스트, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>