We can now see the surfaces of planets in other stars
In short: For decades, finding exoplanets was like spotting a firefly next to a lighthouse from miles away. We could detect their presence, but seeing their actual ground—their rocks and minerals—seemed impossible. That changed recently with a direct observation of a distant super-Earth.
The journey to this milestone began in 1995 with the discovery of 51 Pegasi b, a 'hot Jupiter' detected via the wobble method. This technique measures radial velocity—the slight stretching and squeezing of starlight wavelengths as a planet’s gravity tugs on its parent star. Later, the Kepler Space Telescope (2009–2018) revolutionized the field by using the transit method to detect tiny dips in starlight, revealing that small planets are incredibly common. Estimates from Kepler suggest there may be more than a trillion planets in our galaxy alone.
While these methods were revolutionary, they primarily characterized orbits and atmospheres. A significant shift occurred with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In 2023 and 2024, researchers observed three secondary eclipses of LHS 3844 b, a rocky super-Earth located about 48.5 light-years away. By using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), they captured infrared radiation from the planet's dayside, allowing them to analyze its surface composition directly rather than just its atmospheric gases.
The data reveals LHS 3844 b as a dark, airless world roughly 30% larger than Earth. Because it is tidally locked—orbiting its red dwarf star every 11 hours with one side always facing the sun—its dayside reaches temperatures of approximately 725 degrees Celsius (1,340 degrees Fahrenheit). By comparing its infrared spectrum to minerals from our own solar system, scientists ruled out an Earth-like crust of silica and granite. Rather, researchers identified a landscape primarily composed of basalt—a dark volcanic stone high in magnesium and iron—indicating an environment lacking significant water or moving tectonic plates.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: New Era for Astronomy: Direct Observation of Exoplanetary Surface
- Also: How We Find and Characterize - NASA Science
- Also: Astronomers Explore the Surface Composition of a Nearby Super-Earth | Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
- Also: James Webb Space Telescope directly studies an exoplanet
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/space-new-era-for-astronomy-direct-observation-of-exoplanetary-sur.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Astronomy · More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics
