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Earth and Space Sciences · Glossary

What is Hot Jupiter; super-Earth; sub-Neptune?

Also known as: hot Jupiter · super-Earth · sub-Neptune

Definition 28.12 University Earth and Space Sciences — Year 3 · Chapter 28 — Exoplanets

A hot Jupiter is a giant planet on a close orbit, usually taken as a minimum mass above 0.1 Jupiter masses and a period shorter than ten days. A super-Earth is a planet larger than the Earth but smaller than the radius valley, that is up to about 1.5 to 2 Earth radii, and therefore probably rocky. A sub-Neptune is a planet above the radius valley but smaller than Neptune, about 2 to 4 Earth radii, whose radius requires an envelope of light gases or volatiles.

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