Artist's impression of CoRoT-7b

CoRoT-7b is the first terrestrial planet discovered in 2009 by ESA’s Corot mission. But CoRoT-7b is nothing like Earth. Its oceans are made of lava, and even though the planet is only 50 percent bigger than Earth, it is six times as heavy. This planet knows huge differences between its hot dayside, always pointing towards its star and the bitter cold nightside. No atmosphere has been found to date and thus heat cannot easily be transported from its day to its nightside.