Though it is not located far from the system's sun, Byllura I has a cold atmosphere. Its orbit is very influenced by the presence of the gas giant Byllura II, and it has a high eccentricity with periods when its distance from the sun is doubled. During these times of year, the planet's temperature witnesses a harsh decline. Even when Byllura I's orbit takes it close to the sun, the highest temperature observed is not enough to melt glacial ice.

The only water on Byllura I exists as ice, concentrated at the poles, but also present in the equatorial regions. The lack of liquid water accounts for the apparent lack of life here. However, there is an unusual abundance of heavy metals, believed to have come from several huge meteorites. The impacts raised large amounts of dust to the air, which is still suspended in the atmosphere due to the low gravity. This dust has a high content of heavy metal salts, including tin and lead salts, whose presence makes the atmosphere toxic to most life forms.

Even in these harsh conditions, bacterial life found in the core of the ice blocks is thought to be the remnants of more widespread life which scientists suspect existed before the meteor impacts. Further research is required to confirm the hypothesis and various organizations have begun funding these explorations.