JWST finds strongest evidence yet for an atmosphere on molten super‑Earth TOI‑561 b

Observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provide the strongest evidence yet that ultra‑hot super‑Earth TOI‑561 b hosts a thick gaseous envelope above a global magma ocean, marking the first robust atmospheric detection on a rocky, molten exoplanet and constraining surface–atmosphere interactions.

Discovered 2025-12-14T13:11:39.420064-08:00 | 2025-12-14T13:11:39.420064-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

Demonstrates JWST can characterize extreme exoplanet atmospheres and builds on its earlier work producing a 3D atmospheric map of a hot Jupiter, informing instrument and target selection for future missions.
Gases detected above a global magma ocean provide empirical constraints for models of atmospheric loss, magma–atmosphere chemistry and planetary formation, directly affecting science priorities and follow‑up strategies.
Adds to a string of high‑impact JWST results — alongside its confirmation of the earliest‑known supernova and the telescope's extragalactic spectroscopy detections — reinforcing JWST’s central role in setting research agendas and observation resource allocation.

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