Artist's illustration of CoRoT-7b. Illustration Credit: ESO/L. Calcada
The discovery of the first exoplanet with a density similar to that of Earth was recently announced. While CoRoT-7b has a rocky surface similar to Earth, it is otherwise dissimilar. The planet has an orbit that is very close to its sun — about 1.6 million miles. Being this close, CoRoT-7b’s surface temperatures are scorching, with highs on the side facing its sun above 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the planet is probably tidally locked due to its close location to its sun. This means that one side always facing its sun and the other side always in darkness. For more information, see ScienceNews.
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