What are super-earths?

Super-Earths are big planets that live far away in space, kind of like bigger versions of Earth.

Imagine you have a toy box full of different toys, some are small cars, some are big trucks. A super-Earth is like one of those big trucks, it’s heavier and bigger than Earth, but still made of rocks or something similar.

Most super-earths are in the "Goldilocks zone", which means they're not too close to their star (like a fire that's too hot), and not too far away (like a fire that’s too cold). This makes it possible for them to have liquid water, something Earth has, which is important for life as we know it.

If Earth was the size of a basketball, a super-Earth might be like a soccer ball. That doesn’t sound too different, but in space, even small differences can make a big impact on what kind of weather, gravity, and maybe even life could exist there.

Super-earths are exciting because they could be places where life exists, or maybe we’ll find creatures that look nothing like us!