Exoplanet GJ 1214b (IMAGE)

ESA/Hubble Information Centre

Exoplanet GJ 1214b

Caption

GJ1214b, shown in this artist's view, is a super-Earth orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. New observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope show that it is a water world enshrouded by a thick, steamy atmosphere. GJ 1214b represents a new type of planet, like nothing seen in the solar system or any other planetary system currently known.

Credit

NASA, ESA, and D. Aguilar (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

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