The new planet is unusually dense and heated to 1,500 degrees, which rules out any form of life on its surface.
NASA astronomers have discovered a new Mars-sized exoplanet. The discovery was made using the orbiting observatory TESS. The planet's interior is believed to be composed of iron, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) press office said.
"We have discovered an exoplanet the size of Mars, yet similar in composition and appearance to Mercury. It is among the smallest exoplanets ever discovered. We estimate that it makes one revolution around the star in just eight incomplete hours", - TASS quoted comments from leading researcher at MIT Roland Vanderspek.
The planet was discovered while observing the red dwarf GJ 367. This star is among the closest to the Sun and is located in the constellation Sails. The red dwarf is located just 30 light years from Earth, the scientists believe.
The new planet is relatively small and half the weight of Earth, but has an extraordinary density, NASA observers have assured. According to the researchers' current estimates, the exoplanet's surface temperature exceeds 1,500 degrees Celsius, which rules out the possibility of any life forms.