Describe a super-Earth.

The term "super-Earth" exclusively refers to exoplanets that are larger than Earth and smaller than Neptune; it does not imply that they are similar to Earth in any way. The real makeup of these planets is yet unknown because they are unlike any planets in our solar system, despite being widespread among planets discovered so far in our galaxy.

Discover some super-Earths.

We have found a wide variety of unusual planets during the past three decades that we were unaware even existed and that have no analogs in our solar system. Super-Earths have the potential to be up to 10 times as large as Earth. We don't yet understand these planets well enough to predict when they might cease to have rocky surfaces. However, there may be a wide range of planetary compositions in the mass range of 3–10 times that of Earth, such as water worlds, snowball planets, or planets that, like Neptune, are primarily made of thick gas. Sub-Neptunes or mini-Neptunes are other names for exoplanets that are larger than the super-Earth size limit.

Mini-Neptunes and super-Earths

A -Earth and two mini-Neptunes were found in 2019 by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) circling a cool, dim star 73 light-years away in the southern constellation of Pictor. The M-type dwarf star is roughly 40% smaller than the Sun in terms of both size and mass, and its surface temperature is about a third lower.

Approximately 25% larger than Earth, TOI 270 b, the innermost planet, is probably a rocky super-Earth. It travels 13 times closer to the star than Mercury does, orbiting it every 3.4 days. The scientific team calculates that TOI 270 b has a mass that is approximately 1.9 times bigger than Earth's based on statistical analyses of known exoplanets of comparable size.

The other two planets, TOI 270 c, and d, orbit the star every 5.7 and 11.4 days and are, respectively, 2.4 and 2.1 times larger than Earth. Both may resemble Neptune in our solar system, although being only a little over half its size. Their compositions are believed to be dominated by gases rather than rock, and they likely weigh anywhere between 7 and 5 times that of Earth, making them mini-Neptunes.

It is hoped that further study of the star TOI 270 will shed light on how two of these mini-Neptunes and a nearly Earth-sized planet arose. More investigation might turn up other planets in the system. The surface of planet d would be too warm for the presence of liquid water, which is thought to be a crucial prerequisite for a potentially habitable world. If planet d has a rocky core surrounded by a dense atmosphere. However, further research may find more rocky planets that are slightly farther away from the star, where colder temperatures would allow liquid water to accumulate on their surfaces.

patterns of a super-climate Earth's

The first temperature map of a super-Earth was created in 2016 as a result of observations made by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The graphic shows sharp temperature differences between the poles of the planet and suggests that lava flows may be to blame.

At 41 light-years away, the warm super-Earth 55 Cancri is relatively near to our planet. It whips around its star every 18 hours in an extremely tight orbit. The planet is tidally locked by gravity because of its closeness to the star, just like our Moon is to Earth. As a result, 55 Cancri has a dayside that is constantly frying due to the star's extreme heat, while the night side is completely dark and much cooler.

For a total of 80 hours, Spitzer watched the planet with its infrared eyesight as it repeatedly circled its star. The mapping of global temperature trends is made possible by these data. To their amazement, they discovered a stark 2,340°F (1,300°K) temperature difference between the two poles of the planet. Nearly 4,400 degrees Fahrenheit (2,700 Kelvin) are on the warmest side, and 2,060 degrees Fahrenheit are on the coolest (1,400 Kelvin).