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]
- ^ "Astronomers Find a New Type of Planet: The "Mega-Earth"2014-14". Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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