Class of Planets

[Christopher]

Unfortunately the Star Charts extrapolation of the planetary class system is based on a fan scheme devised in the '70s or so, and thus has some major problems in light of modern understandings of planetary science -- like listing several classes of gas giant that are larger than most stars (Jupiter's about the largest any gas giant could ever get, because the more mass you pile on, the more the core compresses, and they cancel out) but having no category for Neptune-like ice giants, and assuming that giant planets are only found in the outer portion of a star system, which we now know to be incorrect. Also there's nothing in it about dwarf planets or objects like Europa, Titan, and Pluto which are made primarily of ice.

Back in 2006 I proposed an alternative classification scheme that incorporates all the canonical classes and tries to acknowledge more modern planetary science for the rest:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=7616197&postcount=13

 

[USS Excelsior]

Also there's no inclusion for Hot Jupiters, Ice Giants, Waterworlds, Super Earth's, etc.

 

[Christopher]

^All of which I try to accommodate in my alternate scheme, as put forth in the link.

 

[fireproof78]

Unfortunately the Star Charts extrapolation of the planetary class system is based on a fan scheme devised in the '70s or so, and thus has some major problems in light of modern understandings of planetary science -- like listing several classes of gas giant that are larger than most stars (Jupiter's about the largest any gas giant could ever get, because the more mass you pile on, the more the core compresses, and they cancel out) but having no category for Neptune-like ice giants, and assuming that giant planets are only found in the outer portion of a star system, which we now know to be incorrect. Also there's nothing in it about dwarf planets or objects like Europa, Titan, and Pluto which are made primarily of ice.

Back in 2006 I proposed an alternative classification scheme that incorporates all the canonical classes and tries to acknowledge more modern planetary science for the rest:

http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=7616197&postcount=13

Well, that will be an interesting read. Thank you for sharing!