Star Trek planet classifications
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Star Trek |
|---|
| TV series |
| Original Series · 80 episodes |
| Animated Series · 22 episodes |
| Next Generation · 178 episodes |
| Deep Space Nine · 176 episodes |
| Voyager · 172 episodes |
| Enterprise · 98 episodes |
| Films |
| The Motion Picture · II: Wrath of Khan |
| III: Search for Spock |
| IV: Voyage Home · V: Final Frontier |
| VI: Undiscovered Country |
| Generations · First Contact |
| Insurrection · Nemesis · Star Trek |
| Major nations & races |
| UFP · Human · Vulcan · Romulan · Q |
| Klingon · Cardassian · Bajoran · Borg |
| Ferengi · Dominion · Mirror Universe |
| Spin-off fiction |
| Phase II · Novels · Comics · SFU · CCG |
| Games · Fan productions · Experience |
| Further reading |
| Canon · Characters · Starfleet · Wars |
| Chronology ·Timeline · Ships by class |
| Planets classification · Physics · Law |
| Cultural influence |
| Society · Trekkies · Trekdom · Motto |
| Star Trek Portal |
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Planet Classification System is a system developed by the Federation to categorize planets by many factors, such as atmospheric composition, age, surface temperature, size, and presence of life. The planetary classes are designated by the letters A through Z (with the exceptions that U, V, and W are not used).
The system was initially developed by Gene Roddenberry. Only a few classes have been mentioned in the Star Trek canon, the most commonly visited worlds being Class "M" or Earth-like terrestrial planets for the obvious reason that advanced humanoid life will most likely exist there.
The information below is purely science-fiction and has no basis in real science or astronomy. The 2002 semi-canon Star Trek Star Charts (ISBN 0-7434-3770-5) by Geoffrey Mandel offers a method by which planets are organized into classes; a summary of this method follows. Some planet classifications are also explained in larger detail in The Star Trek Encyclopedia, by Mike & Denise Okuda.
[edit] Planet classification list
|
[edit] Class A
Class A, or "Geothermal" planets, are small, young worlds with surfaces that are usually molten with possible volcanic activity. Atmospheres, if any, would be very thin. This is similar to the moon Io.
[edit] Class B
Class B, or "Geomorteus" planets, are young planets that are larger than Class A. They have partially molten surfaces and active volcanoes. Atmospheres, if any, are very thin. In our real solar system Mercury may be considered a Class B planet, though Mercury's surface is solid and without known volcanoes.
[edit] Class C
Class C, or "Geoinactive" planets, are young planets that are geologically inactive, (hence their name), and may be covered in ice and/or frozen gases. In our real solar system Pluto could be considered a Class C planet. In the series, the planet Psi 2000 was a Class C planet.
[edit] Class D
Class D objects are asteroids and moons. Some may also be so-called dwarf planets. They are small and geologically inactive. Atmosphere, if any, would be very thin. Earth's Moon could be considered Class D. Regula from the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was a Class D planetoid.
[edit] Class E
Class E, or "Geoplastic" planets are small, young and volcanically active worlds still in the process of forming. Their surfaces are largely molten. In the series, the planet Excalbia was considered Class E.
[edit] Class F
Class F, or "Geometallic" planets are very young worlds with volcanically active surfaces with heavy metallic cores rich in ores and minerals making them valuable to mining conglomerates. If any life develops it may be silicon-based as in the case of Janus VI which is a Class F planet.
[edit] Class G
Class G, or "Geocrystalline" planets are young, but large worlds, with surfaces that are still solidifying. Their atmospheres may contain carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. If there is any life present it would be limited to primitive single-celled organisms. In the series, the planet Delta Vega is considered Class G.
[edit] Class H
Class H planets are desert worlds with barren surfaces that are either hot and arid, (if in close orbit of the parent star) or covered with icy tundra if in a more distant orbit. Life forms developing on such a world would have to be resilient to either extreme hot or cold temperatures and if the planet is close to the star, resistant to solar radiation. Various worlds featured in the series, such as Rigel XII, Tau Cygna V, Ocampa, Nimbus III can be considered Class H planets.
[edit] Class I
Class I planets are Gas Supergiants, over 140,000 km in diameter. They are comprised almost entirely hydrogen and helium, but may contain water vapor as well. They may contain a solid metallic mass core and radiate heat. They can have hundreds of moons and also water ice rings. Many extrasolar planets discovered in real life could be classified as Class I Supergiants.
[edit] Class J
Class J planets are Gas Giants less than 140,000 km in diameter. They are mainly comprised of hydrogen and helium gases and could have a solid rocky or metallic core. They can have many moons as well as water ice rings. In real life, Jupiter and Saturn could be Class J planets.
[edit] Class K
Class K, or "Adaptable" planets, are rocky and barren with little, if any, surface water. Their atmospheres are thin, and comprise mostly carbon dioxide. Life forms, if any, are limited to single-celled organisms and algae. They are "adaptable" because through terraforming they are suitable for human colonization. In real life, Mars could be considered a Class K planet. In the series the planets Ceti Alpha V, Mudd, and Son'a Prime are Class K.
[edit] Class L
Class L, or "Marginal" planets, have rocky, barren surfaces with little water. Their atmospheres are mainly oxygen and argon with a high concentrations of carbon dioxide. Life forms, if any, would be limited to simple plant life. Class L planets are suitable for human colonization with some terraforming. In the series, the planets Indri VIII, Vaadwaur Prime, and possibly Borg assimilated worlds are Class L.
Note: Earth may have become a Class L planet, as was seen briefly in the time conduit in Star Trek: First Contact, after the Borg altered the timeline and assimilated it.
[edit] Class M
Class M, or "Terrestrial" planets, are the most commonly visited planets in the Star Trek series. They are named after the Vulcan term "Minshara" class. They are always located in the ecological region of a star where they are provided enough warmth and energy to develop and sustain carbon-based life. Their surfaces comprises a thin tectonic layer floating on a molten rock mantle and they usually have many active volcanoes. Most importantly, they have plenty of liquid water necessary for life to exist. Their atmospheres contain oxygen and nitrogen with other trace gases. Life forms are almost always present, often flourishing as extensive plant and animal life. Usually a sentient race is also present. Earth is a textbook example of a Class M world. Other worlds in the series such as Vulcan, Cardassia Prime, Risa, Bajor, and Qo'noS are Class M planets.
[edit] Class N
Class N, or "Reducing" planets, are barren and rocky with extremely high surface temperatures caused by an intense greenhouse effect. Their atmospheres are extremely dense comprising mainly carbon dioxide and corrosive sulfides. Sometimes water vapor is present. Life would be limited to single-celled organisms living in the upper layers of atmosphere. In our real solar system, Venus could be a Class N planet. Some Class N planets may also fall into Class X, Y, or Z Demon planets, especially if a bizarre form of life exists on them.
[edit] Class O
Class O, or "Pelagic" planets, are similar to Class M worlds but over 80% of their surface is covered in water. Life forms would mainly be aquatic in nature. In the series, Argo (from Star Trek: the Animated Series), and Pacifica from Star Trek: The Next Generation are considered Class O planets.
[edit] Class P
Class P, or "Glaciated" planets, are similar to Class O water planets with an abundance of surface water, however almost all of it is locked in frozen ice. Liquid water may be present under the ice but at extreme depths. Any life developing on the surface would have to adapt to extremely frigid conditions. In real life, the Jovian moons Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede could be considered Class P planets. In the series, the planets Exo III, The Andorian homeworld, and the Breen homeworld (allegedly) fall into this classification.
[edit] Class Q
Class Q, or "Variable" planets have variable surface conditions because they either orbit a variable star (whose power output fluctuates), or their distance from their primary star varies greatly due to a sufficiently eccentric orbit. The result is a world where temperatures fluctuate within extreme levels. Any life existing on such a world will have adapted to rapid climate changes. A Class Q designation might also be applied to planets whose conditions vary due to other effects, either natural or artificial: for example, the planet Meridian in the Gamma Quadrant might be considered Class Q as the planet shifts between dimensions, existing as solid matter and then as energy for unequal periods of time.
[edit] Class R
Class R, or rogue planets, do not orbit stars. Instead, they float in the cold darkness of space. They most likely normally formed within a solar system but have been flung deep into space usually caused by the collision with another planetary body. The surface of a rogue planet would usually be barren, but some might be temperate due to geothermal venting with atmospheres filled with volcanic gases. Life would be rare, but some may have unusual life that gather near volcanic regions, (similar to how deep ocean life thrives near volcanic vents on Earth). The surface life would exist in complete darkness with plant life that is non-photosynthetic in nature. In the series, the planets Dakala, the Founders' Homeworld, and Gothos, (as it was used under the control of the Trelane entity), are rogue planets.
[edit] Class S and T
Class S and Class T, or "Ultragiant" planets are Super Gas Giants or brown dwarfs. Their diameters range in size from 10 to 50 million km (Class S) and 50 to 120 million km (Class T). Any larger and they would be classified as stars. They radiate considerable heat and generate enormous amounts of gravity, often harboring hundreds or even thousands of moons. In most cases, these moons would be subject to considerable tidal forces and gravitational effects caused by their parent planet - oceans or other large bodies of water would experience gigantic waves and powerful currents. In real life, some recently discovered extrasolar planets could classify as Class S or T Ultragiants.
[edit] Class X, Y and Z
Classes X, Y, and Z are reserved for strange planets referred to as "Demon" worlds where surface conditions do not fall into any other recognized category. Such worlds are usually hostile and lethal to humanoid life. If life develops on these worlds they usually take on many bizarre forms, like living crystal or rock, liquid or gaseous physical states, non-corporeal or dimensional states or be energy-based. In the series, the planet Tholia, the "Silver Blood" planet discovered by the USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, and the home world of the incorporeal Medusan species are considered Demon planets.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Planetary classification article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
- Planetary classification Star Trek planets classification and images. (Español)
