Super-Earth

A super-Earth is an extrasolar planet more massive than Earth but generally less massive than Neptune. Its composition may be rocky, volatile-rich, or gaseous.

Exoplanet: A planet that orbits a star outside the Solar System. Super-Earths are defined as a class of planets beyond the Solar System.
Radial velocity method: A planet-detection technique that measures a star's motion along the line of sight. The star's wobble can reveal a super-Earth's minimum mass.
55 Cancri e: A short-period super-Earth orbiting the nearby star 55 Cancri. Its intense irradiation makes it a prominent example of an extreme close-in super-Earth.
Earth analog: An exoplanet resembling Earth in properties such as size, composition, or stellar environment. A super-Earth can exceed Earth's mass without resembling Earth in surface conditions or structure.
Planetary mass: The amount of matter in a planet, commonly compared with Earth's mass. The category's lower and upper bounds are expressed mainly through mass.
Transit method: A planet-detection technique that measures the dimming of a star as a planet crosses its face. A transit supplies the radius needed to interpret a detected planet's mass.
LHS 1140 b: A transiting planet orbiting a nearby red dwarf, with a mass above Earth's. Its temperate orbit and measurable properties make it a key target for atmospheric study.
Mini-Neptune: A planet smaller than Neptune that may possess a substantial hydrogen-helium envelope. The distinction from a super-Earth often depends on atmosphere and composition, not mass alone.
Planetary radius: The distance from a planet's center to its surface or atmospheric boundary. Radius measurements paired with mass help constrain a super-Earth's density.
Kepler space telescope: A NASA space observatory that searched for planets by monitoring stellar brightness. Kepler revealed large populations of close-in planets in the super-Earth size range.

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