Astronomers directly analyze exoplanet LHS 3844 b's surface for first time
Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 4
Astronomers directly analyze exoplanet LHS 3844 b's surface for first time
7 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 4
Using JWST's MIRI, researchers studied heat from the super-Earth 50 light-years away and found a dark, airless world about 30% larger than Earth.
Observations of three secondary eclipses in 2023 and 2024 ruled out a silica-rich, Earth-like crust and instead pointed to basalt, a volcanic rock common on Mercury and the Moon.
The tidally locked planet's dayside reaches about 725C, and scientists say follow-up JWST work could determine whether its surface is solid rock or loose weathered material.
Is this exoplanet's dark surface a fresh volcanic slab or an ancient, moon-like wasteland battered by cosmic radiation?
This scorched world looks dead, but could a hidden 'planetary heartbeat' fuel life deep below its volcanic surface?
First Direct Surface Composition Analysis of Rocky Exoplanet LHS 3844 b Reveals Ancient Basaltic Regolith
Overview
In May 2026, researchers published a landmark study revealing the first direct surface analysis of the rocky exoplanet LHS 3844 b using JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument. The planet is tidally locked, with a scorching dayside and no atmosphere, featuring a basalt-rich surface similar to the Moon. Observations during secondary eclipses detected no volcanic gases, ruling out recent geological activity and supporting a surface shaped by space weathering from intense stellar radiation and meteorite impacts. This extreme environment, caused by the planet's close orbit and tidal locking, prevents plate tectonics and atmosphere retention. The breakthrough opens new paths for studying exoplanet surfaces and guides future telescope designs and exploration of habitable-zone worlds.