Modeling points to a magma ocean on exoplanet L 98-59 d

Modeling suggests a volatile-rich magma ocean on the exoplanet L 98-59 d. The planet orbits the star L 98-59. That star is a red dwarf 35 light-years from Earth. The finding was reported as a scientific result based on modeling rather than on a photograph of the surface.

An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star other than the Sun. A magma ocean is a large body of molten rock. Volatile-rich means the molten layer is modeled as holding a relatively high share of substances that vaporize easily. The suggestion comes from modeling, which means researchers inferred it from data and calculations.

L 98-59 d is the planet's catalog name, and L 98-59 is the star. A red dwarf is a small, cool star. Thirty-five light-years is the distance given. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, so the figure places the system well outside the solar system and still among the nearer stars.

The report did not say which telescope collected the underlying observations. It did not give the planet's mass or radius. It stated the modeled feature: a volatile-rich magma ocean. Suggests is the verb the account used, which is short of a claim that a probe has sampled the surface.

Red-dwarf systems are common targets in the search for planets because the stars are numerous and their planets can be easier to detect. This item was about one planet and one inferred surface state. No comparison with Earth oceans was drawn in numbers. The distance remained 35 light-years.

Models point to a volatile-rich magma ocean on L 98-59 d. The planet orbits the red dwarf L 98-59, 35 light-years from Earth. The result is a modeling suggestion, not a direct image. Distance, star type, and the magma ocean were the scientific facts reported.