ZME SCIENCE - A research team led by University of California Riverside researchers has unveiled a new member of the HD 104067 star system. Located approximately 66 light years from Earth, this is one of the hottest solar systems out there — quite literally.
The newly identified fiery planet, designated TOI-6713.01, exhibits conditions so extreme that its surface temperature surpasses that of some stars, glowing red with molten lava.
“This is a terrestrial planet that I would describe as Io on steroids,” remarked UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane, referring to Jupiter’s volcanically active moon. “It’s been forced into a situation where it’s constantly exploding with volcanoes. At optical wavelengths, you would be able to see a glowing, red-hot planet with a molten lava surface.”