It’s Time To Retire The Super-Earth, The Most Unsupported Idea In Exoplanets [2021]
It’s Time To Retire The Super-Earth, The Most Unsupported Idea In Exoplanets [2021]
Planets are either rocky, like Earth, or gas-rich, like Neptune, with no in-between. What are the different types of planets that exist in the Universe? If all you could see […]
You're viewing a single thread.
Here is a quick summary. Astronomers used to assume that planets as big as 2x Earth diameter could be rocky planets. But now we know that most planets bigger than 1.3 Earth diameter are mini Neptunes. Although sometimes rocky planets can get as big as 1.5 Earth diameter.
Neptune's diameter is about 50 megameters. Earth's diameter is 12.7 megameters. So per the article, most planets bigger than a 16.5 megameter diameter is probably a mini Neptune. Although a rocky planet could be as big as a 19 megameter diameter.
Oh wow! That's why Andy Weir made Erid 1.5x Earth diameter.