Mega-Earth

Size comparison of Kepler-10c, with Earth and Neptune

A mega-Earth is a proposed neologism for a massive terrestrial exoplanet that is at least ten times the mass of Earth. Mega-Earths would be substantially more massive than super-Earths (terrestrial and ocean planets with masses around 5–10 Earths). The term "mega-Earth" was coined in 2014, when Kepler-10c was revealed to be a Neptune-mass planet with a density considerably greater than that of Earth,[1] though it has since been determined to be a typical volatile-rich planet weighing just under half that mass.[2]

  1. ^ "Astronomers Find a New Type of Planet: The "Mega-Earth"2014-14". Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference upping was invoked but never defined (see the help page).