Planetary Classifications

Created by Captain Mikoto Misaka on Sat Mar 23rd, 2024 @ 6:18am

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

ClassA.jpg

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

ClassB.jpg

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

ClassC.jpg

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

ClassD.jpg

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

ClassE.jpg

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

ClassF.jpg

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

ClassG.jpg

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

ClassH.jpg

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

ClassI.jpg

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

ClassJ.jpg

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

ClassK.jpg

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

ClassL.jpg

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

ClassM.jpg

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

ClassN.jpg

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

ClassO.jpg

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

ClassP.jpg

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

ClassQ.jpg

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

ClassR.jpg

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

ClassS.jpg

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

ClassU.jpg

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

ClassX.jpg

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

ClassY.jpg

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

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