American astronomers have discovered a planet covered in a large layer of lava. This discovery is useful because the planet is likely similar to how Earth was.
It is about the planet HD 63433 D. It is located only 73 light-years from Earth. The planet orbits very closely around a star other than our Sun, making it an exoplanet.
The planet orbits its star in just over four days, compared to the 365 days it takes Earth to orbit the sun. It is likely that one side of the planet always faces the star, covering it with an “ocean” of molten rock.
The planet is estimated to be less than 500 million years old, and is therefore relatively young. The celestial body has approximately the same dimensions as the Earth. It is the youngest planet we have ever seen and is less than 500 million years old.
The Earth is now about 4.5 billion years old. But the newly discovered planet is comparable to what Earth looked like in that era, astronomers write Astronomical magazine.
It's too hot for life as we know it
“It is a useful planet because it can tell us what the young Earth looked like,” said lead researcher Melinda Soares-Furtado. “This planet orbits its star more closely than Earth. But the process the gases and atmosphere experience is similar.”
The ground was covered in lava as well. When it cools, it means favorable conditions for the development of life.
Life as we know it is unlikely to develop on the newly discovered planet. It orbits too close to its sun and the temperature at the surface is very high.
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