Alpha Centauri Bb

Alpha Centauri is the nearest star system to ours and is composed of three stars. Orbiting Alpha Centauri B is a planet similiar in size to Earth, but very different because it orbits only 6 million kilometers from its star, with an atmoshpere of vaporized rock and metallic rain. Being so near its star it is most likely tide locked and keeps the same side toward Alpha Centauri B, in the same way the Moon keeps the same side toward Earth. The temperature at the planets's surface is about 1200 degrees Celcius, the temperature of lava. This planet, like the fictional Mustafar from the Star Wars saga, is covered with oceans of lava, at least on the sumward, or day side. There may be some islands made of minerals with a high melting point. The dark side never turns toward the star and experiences permanent night. This side probably has a solid surface. There is permanent twilight between the two sides and as twilight is approached from the day side there are probably larger islands in the lava ocean, and peninsulas extending from the night side. The atmosphere could be very stange. Metals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, and serveral other elements all vapourize at temperatures lower than 1200 degrees. Its possible these vapourized metals are the "gasses" that make up the atmosphere of Alpha Centauri Bb. The atmosphere would circulate around to the cooler night side where the metals would condense and fall as snow and rain. Our nearest interstellar neighbour could be a very interesting place indeed.