Animation of the super_Earth exoplanet GJ 1214b. This is just the second super_Earth exoplanet for which astronomers have determined the mass and radius, which gives vital clues about its structure. It is also the first super_Earth around which an atmosphere has been found. The exoplanet, orbiting a small star only 40 light years away from us, thus opens up dramatic new perspectives in the quest for habitable worlds. The planet has a mass about six times that of Earth, and its interior is likely mostly made of water ice. It appears to be very hot and surrounded by a thick atmosphere, which makes it inhospitable for life as we know it.brRestrictions: