JWST Reveals Powerful Winds and Dense Atmosphere on Scorching Exoplanet TOI-561b
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found compelling evidence that TOI-561b, an ultra-hot rocky exoplanet orbiting its star every 11 hours, still retains a dense atmosphere. Temperatures measured on both its day and night sides are far lower than expected for a bare rock, implying powerful winds and efficient heat transport. The discovery challenges existing theories of planetary evolution and suggests magma oceans may help replenish atmospheres even under extreme stellar radiation.
