Eyeball planets may quite possibly be one of the most interesting planetary concepts.
These planets are “tidally locked,” meaning that one side of the planet will always face the star. (The moon is also tidally locked around Earth.)
Because one side will always face the star, eyeball planets are interesting targets in the pursuit of extraterrestrial life. Hypothetically, in a “warm” eyeball planet, the side facing the star will be made of rock with liquid present on the dark side. In a “cold” eyeball planet, the side facing the star will host liquid whereas the rest is composed of ice and rocks. Because the heated side could be liquid and the rest could be solid, the planet could look like an eyeball.
Depending on the star’s heat, the planet’s proximity to the star, and the presence of liquid water, these planets could host life.
As AgustÃn Parra noted in the comments, there is also another, possibly more interesting situation for tidally locked planets. Instead of liquid in the midst of ice, some of these planets would feature a “Goldilocks Zone” with just the right conditions for life. While these are not eyeballs, they again feature an area where life is possible.
Many of the latest exoplanet discoveries, including those considered to be “Earth-like,” are tidally locked. Considering their wacky look, who knows what sort of life we could find!
