Super-Earth Exoplanets

Planets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, a category with no equivalent in our solar system.

Super-Earths have radii between 1.25 and 2.0 Earth radii (or masses between 2 and 10 Earth masses). This classification is unique because our own solar system has no planet in this size range: Earth is smaller and Neptune is much larger. Super-Earths may have rocky surfaces with thick atmospheres, or they could be water worlds with deep global oceans. Some may even have hydrogen-helium envelopes. They are among the most common types of exoplanets discovered and are particularly interesting for habitability studies, as their stronger gravity can retain thicker atmospheres than Earth-sized worlds.