Planetary Classifications
Created by Captain Daegan Baas on Tue Dec 10th, 2024 @ 9:49pm
A planet is a celestial body in orbit around a star or stellar remnants, that has sufficient mass for self-gravity and is nearly spherical in shape. A planet must not share its orbital region with other bodies of significant size (except for its own satellites), and must be below the threshold for thermonuclear fusion of deuterium. If a celestial body meets those requirements, it is considered a planet; at that point, the planet is further classified by its atmosphere and surface conditions into one of twenty-two categories. | ||
Class A - Geothermal | ||
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| AGE: | 0-2 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 1,000 - 10,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Partially molten, very hot | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Carbon dioxide, hydrogen | |
| EVOLUTION: | Cools to become Class C | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Gothos | |
Class B - Geomorteus | ||
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| AGE: | 0-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 1,000 - 10,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Partially molten | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Extremely tenuous | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Mercury, Nebhilum | |
Class C - Geo-Inactive | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 1,000 - 10,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Barren | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | None | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Psi 2000 | |
Class D - Dwarf | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 100 - 4,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Barren and cratered | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | None or very tenuous | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Pluto, Ceres, Eredas-Il | |
Class E - Geoplastic | ||
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| AGE: | 0-2 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000 - 15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Molten, high surface temp. | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Hydrogen compounds | |
| EVOLUTION: | Cools to become Class F | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Carbon cycle | |
| EXAMPLES: | Excalbia | |
Class F - Geometallic | ||
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| AGE: | 1-3 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000 - 15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Volcanic, barren | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane | |
| EVOLUTION: | Cools to become Class G | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Bacteria | |
| EXAMPLES: | Janus IV | |
Class G - Geocrystalline | ||
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| AGE: | 3-4 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000 - 15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Rocky, mostly barren | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen | |
| EVOLUTION: | Cools to Class H, K, L, M, N O, P | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Vegetation, simple organisms | |
| EXAMPLES: | Delta Vega | |
Class H - Desert | ||
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| AGE: | 4-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 8,000 - 15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Hot, arid; >20% surface water | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Oxygen, nitrogen, argon, metals | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Drought-resistant plants/animals | |
| EXAMPLES: | Dimovius, Nimbus III, Corneria, Ocampa | |
Class I - Ice Giant | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 30,000 - 100,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Rock, ice, methane, ammonia | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Hydrogen, helium | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Uranus, Neptune, Q'tahL | |
Class J - Gas Giant | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 50,000 - 500,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Liquid metallic hydrogen | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Hydrogen, helium | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Jupiter, Saturn | |
Class K - Adaptable | ||
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| AGE: | 4-10 billion years old | |
| DIAMETER: | 5,000 - 10,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Barren, little surface water | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Thin, mostly carbon dioxide | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Primitive single-cell organisms | |
| EXAMPLES: | Mars, Mudd | |
Class L - Marginal | ||
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| AGE: | 4-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 15,000-30,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Rocky; little surface water | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Argon, oxygen, trace elements | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Limited to vegetation | |
| EXAMPLES: | Alarin III, Ciden II, Indri VII | |
Class M - Terrestrial | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Abundant surface water; temperate climate | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Nitrogen, oxygen, argon | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Vegetation, animal, & humanoid | |
| EXAMPLES: | Earth, Cardassia, Kalidar, Vulcan | |
Class N - Reducing | ||
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| AGE: | 3-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | Barren; high temperatures | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | carbon dioxide and sulfides | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Venus | |
Class O - Pelagic | ||
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| AGE: | 3-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | 80% water, archipelagos | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Nitrogen, oxygen, argon | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Cetacean, humanoid, animal | |
| EXAMPLES: | Azati Prime, Ka'Tula Prime, Zirat | |
Class P - Glaciated | ||
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| AGE: | 3-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Ecosphere | |
| SURFACE: | 80% frozen water, cold | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Nitrogen, oxygen | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Vegetation, animal, & humanoid | |
| EXAMPLES: | Andoria, Exo III, Rebena Te Ra, Rura Penthe | |
Class Q - Variable | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 4,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Molten, frozen, jungle, etc. | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Very tenuous to very dense | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Genesis Planet | |
Class R - Rogue | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 4,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Interstellar space | |
| SURFACE: | Temperate | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Primarily volcanic outgassing | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | Non-photosynthetic plants, animals | |
| EXAMPLES: | Dakala, Veneihm, Founders' Homeworld (prior to 2371) | |
Class S - Gas Supergiant | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 500,000-100,000,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Liquid metallic hydrogen | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Hydrogen and helium | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Tethe-Alla IV | |
Class U - Gas Ultragiant | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 50,000,000 - 120,000,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone/Cold Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Liquid hydrogen, deuterium | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Hydrogen and helium | |
| EVOLUTION: | Can evolve into red dwarf stars | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Diadem, Tethe-Alla V | |
Class X - Chthonian | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 1,000-10,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Barren, extremely hot | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | None | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None | |
| EXAMPLES: | Osirus | |
Class Y - Demon | ||
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| AGE: | 2-10 billion years | |
| DIAMETER: | 10,000-15,000 km | |
| LOCATION: | Hot Zone | |
| SURFACE: | Barren; extremely hot | |
| ATMOSPHERE: | Turbulent, with toxic radiation | |
| EVOLUTION: | N/A | |
| LIFE FORMS: | None/Extremely rare, Mimetic | |
| EXAMPLES: | Planet Hell (Delta Quadrant) | |
| Credit: Based on the Planetary Classification work by Captain Andrew Cullen, MD in 2009 while associated with the Starfleet Scientific Corps |
Categories: Stellar Cartography