Astronomers have confirmed a planetary system roughly 337 light-years from Earth that contains both a lava-covered world and a planet considered potentially habitable, according to reports from Imagens de Marca and other outlets.
The discovery, covered by Portuguese-language news sources including Imagens de Marca, Plataforma Media, 24Horas.pt, and Jornal de Notícias, marks the confirmation of a multi-planet system rather than a single find. The reports describe one planet as a "lava world," indicating a rocky body with extreme surface temperatures, while another planet in the same system falls within the potentially habitable category.
Imagens de Marca, which first reported the news on September 2, 2026, highlighted the distance of the system at approximately 337 light-years. The term "potentially habitable" typically refers to a planet orbiting within its star's habitable zone, where conditions could allow liquid water to exist on the surface, though the reports do not specify the planet's size, composition, or atmospheric details.
The confirmation of this system adds to a growing list of nearby exoplanetary targets for study. Having a lava world and a potentially habitable planet in the same system offers researchers a comparative look at how different worlds form and evolve under similar stellar conditions. The reports do not name the star or provide the planets' official designations.
What to watch next: follow-up observations from space-based telescopes could reveal whether the potentially habitable planet has an atmosphere and whether it shows signs of water.
