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Kepler-10c: Frozen Ocean World Challenges Planetary Formation Theories

5/23/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Kepler-10c, an intriguing exoplanet located 600 light-years away, could be a frozen ocean world instead of a rocky one. Originating beyond the frost line, it migrated inward, shedding its atmosphere. This discovery within the Kepler-10 system, which also features a lava world and possibly a third planet, reshapes our understanding of planetary formation and diversity in the galaxy.

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Story summary

Kepler-10c, an intriguing exoplanet located 600 light-years away, could be a frozen ocean world instead of a rocky one. Originating beyond the frost line, it migrated inward, shedding its atmosphere. This discovery within the Kepler-10 system, which also features a lava world and possibly a third planet, reshapes our understanding of planetary formation and diversity in the galaxy.