The planet , known as CoRoT-7b , was detected early last year . It took months to determine that it had a composition roughly similar to Earth 's . `` We think it has no atmosphere to redistribute the heat , '' Hatzes told CNN from Barcelona , Spain , where he is attending the `` Pathways Towards Habitable Planets '' conference . The planet is about five times more massive than Earth . Comment: It is so close to the star it orbits that it may `` look like Dante 's Inferno ''
The planet , known as CoRoT-7b , was detected early last year . It took months to determine that it had a composition roughly similar to Earth 's . The planet is about five times more massive than Earth . Comment: It is so close to the star it orbits that it may `` look like Dante 's Inferno ''