JWST Detects Possible Reflective Atmosphere on Lava Planet TOI-561 b

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has observed the exoplanet TOI-561 b, a scorching lava world 280 light-years away, suggesting it possesses a thick, reflective atmosphere. This atmosphere, potentially composed of mineral clouds acting as a "giant sunscreen," reflects approximately 75% of starlight and may be continuously replenished by gases from its molten rock ocean. This finding challenges prior theories that such extreme planets would have lost their atmospheres long ago.