‘Super-Earth’ in constellation Cassiopeia

Topics covered:

1. Awareness in space.

‘Super-Earth’ in constellation Cassiopeia

What to study?

For Prelims and Mains: About Super- Earth and Constellation Cassiopeia.

Context: Researchers have discovered a new exotic planet outside our solar system in the constellation Cassiopeia. Located 21 light years away from us, this planet, dubbed HD219134 b, has a mass almost five times that of Earth, which is considered a so-called “super-Earth”. Unlike the Earth, however, it most likely does not have a massive core of iron, but is rich in calcium and aluminium alongside magnesium and silicon.

What is a Super- Earth?

A super-Earth is an extrasolar planet with a mass higher than Earth’s, but substantially below those of the Solar System’s ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, which are 15 and 17 times Earth’s, respectively.

The term “super-Earth” refers only to the mass of the planet, and so does not imply anything about the surface conditions or habitability.

Sources: the hindu.