After finding over 370 extrasolar planets over the past 15 years, scientists have confirmed the first Earth-like rocky planet outside the solar system, according to CNN.
To date, known exoplanets have been gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. That doesn’t necessarily mean the recently discovered rocky planet, called COROT-7B, can support life. While its composition may be similar to that of our own planet, COROT-7B orbits very close to its star, the report said. The planet’s daytime temperature at the surface could reach over 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit, while its nighttime temperature may drop to 328 degrees below zero.
Astronomer Artie Hatzes said in the report that the star-facing side of the planet was likely molten, while the back could be icy. “We think it has no atmosphere to redistribute the heat,” he said, adding that astronomers “would never have dreamed” of finding a rocky planet orbiting so close to a star–close enough that its entire “year” is shorter than one of our own 24-hour days. (Artist credit: ESO/L Calcada)
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