JWST reveals exoplanet LHS 3844 b’s rocky surface as a dark, volcanic world
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope directly analyzed the surface of the rocky exoplanet LHS 3844 b, about 50 light-years away, by measuring infrared heat from its dayside. The data indicate a dark, atmosphere-free surface likely dominated by basalt, similar to the Moon or Mercury, with temperatures around 725°C. The planet is tidally locked, and the findings suggest a surface shaped by recent volcanic activity or long-term weathering rather than an Earth-like crust. Follow-up JWST observations are planned to refine its crustal nature.