UW News
Aomawa Shields
July 18, 2013
A warmer planetary haven around cool stars, as ice warms rather than cools
![This artist's concept illustrates a planet orbiting a red dwarf star.](https://uw-s3-cdn.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2013/07/04193203/planetorbitingstar-tile-150x150.jpg)
In a bit of cosmic irony, planets orbiting cooler stars may be more likely to remain ice-free than planets around hotter stars. This is due to the interaction of a star’s light with ice and snow on the planet’s surface.