GJ 367b, a Rocky Planet with an Eight-Hour Year, Shows Similarities to Mercury
A team of astronomers has identified a distant exoplanet, named GJ 367b, which may have a surface composed of molten iron. Located 31 light years away from Earth, GJ 367b measures about 9,000 kilometers in diameter, making it roughly comparable in size to Mars.
According to Kristine Lam from the German Aerospace Centre, precise measurements of GJ 367b’s radius and mass reveal that it is a rocky planet. The planet exhibits characteristics similar to Mercury, placing it within the category of sub-Earth-sized terrestrial planets and advancing efforts to locate planets that could resemble Earth.
With an orbit lasting less than eight hours, GJ 367b belongs to the “ultra-short period” (USP) category, a rare class of planets that complete their orbit around their star in less than a day.