Astrometrics/Stellar Cartography Labs

Welcome to the Astrometrics lab for Starbase Tango!
Here you will find information on Planetary classes, Maps, and stellar phenomena.

Galaxy Maps

View Stellar Objects

Spectral Classes

The Pleiades

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Planetary Classes
Planets' natural characteristics, such as age, mass and distance from their sun, place them in 16 naturally bounded classes which have been assigned an arbitrary alphabetic designation. A planet's distance from its sun, relative to that sun's luminosity, puts the planet in one of three thermal zones:
Hot    Ecosphere   Cold A planet's mass determines its internal heat generation and - in combination with its zone - its ability to hold and atmosphere. Some planets pass through distinct stages as they form and age, which may put them in separate classes.

Class	Diameter	Location	Surface	Atmosphere	Evolution	Life	Example
A-Geothermal	1,000-10,000 KM	Ecosphere/Cold Zone	Partially  Molten	Primarily Hydrogen compounds	Cools to Class C	None native	Gothos
B-Geomorteus	1,000-10,000 KM	Hot Zone	Partially Molten, High Surface Temp	Extremely tenuous, few chemically active gases	None	None native	Mercury (SOL I)
C-Geoinactive	1,000-10,000 KM	Ecosphere/ Cold Zone	Low surface Temp	Frozen	None	None native	Pluto (SOL IX)
D-Asteroid/Moon	100-1,000 KM	Any, found in orbit of star in fields, or orbit of planets and other asteroids	Barren/Cratered	None/Tenuous	None	None native	Sol IIIa, Bajor VIIe
E-Geoplastic	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Molten, high surface temp	Hydrogen compounds, reactive gases	Cools to Class F	Carbon Cycle	Excalbia
F-Geometallic	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Volcanic, molten core	Hydrogen compounds	Cools to Class G	Silicon Based	Janus IV
G-Geocrystalline	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Crystallizing	Carbon dioxide, some other toxic gases	Cools to become Class N, O or P	Single-cell organisms	Delta Vega
H-Desert	8,000-15,000 KM	Hot / Ecosphere / Cold Zones	Hot, arid, little or no surface water	May have heavy gases and metal vapors	None	Drought / radiation resistant plant / animal life	Rigel XII, Tau Cygnia V
I-Gas Supergiant	140,000-10 Million KM	Cold Zone	Tenuous, gaseous hydrogen and other compounds.  Radiates heat	Varies by composition, water vapor may be present	None	Unknown	Q'tahl
J-Gas Giant	50,000-140,000 KM	Cold Zone	Tenuous, gaseous hydrogen and other compounds. radiates some heat	Varies by composition	None	Hydrocarbon based (Jovian)	Jupiter (SOL V), Saturn (SOL VI)
K-Adaptable	5,000-10,000 KM	Ecosphere	Barren, little surface water	Thin, mostly carbon dioxide	None	Primitive single-cell organisms.  Adaptable for colonization with pressure domes	Mars (SOL IV), Mudd
L-Marginal	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Rocky and barren, little surface water	Oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide	None	Limited plant life, suitible for colonization	Indri VIII
M-Minshara / Terrestrial	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Surface water abundant (or easily obtained)	Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements	None	Extensive, suitable for colonization	Earth, Vulcan, Andor
N-Reducing	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	High surface temp due to greenhouse effect, water vapor only.	Dense, carbon dioxide, sulfides	May cool to Class M if greenhouse effect controlled	None	Venus (SOL II)
O-Pelagic	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Surface water covers 80% or more	Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements	None	Aquatic, suitable for colonization	Argo
P-Glaciated	10,000-15,000 KM	Ecosphere	Surface ice covers 80% or more	Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements	None	Hardy vegetation and animal life.  Suitable for colonization	Exo III
Q-Variable	4,000-15,000 KM	Hot / Ecosphere / Cold Zones	Varies due to eccentric orbit.  May be molten, water, ice	Tenuous to dense	None	Varies	Genesis
R-Rogue	4,000-15,000 KM	Interstellar space, cometary halos	May be temperate due to geothermal venting	Primarily volcanic outgassing - toxic to tenuous	None	Non - photosynthetic	Dakala
S/T-Ultragiant (failed star - brown dwarf)	S: 10-50 Million KM T: 50+ Million KM	Cold Zone	Tenuous, gaseous hydrogen and other compounds.  Radiates much heat.	Varies by composition, water vapor may be present	None	Unknown
Y-Demon	10,000	Hot / Ecosphere / Cold Zones	Surface temp. exceeds 500 Kelvin.  May be partially molten	Turbulent/Toxic	Unknown	Mimetic (Delta Quadrant)

*Note, Class U, V, W, X, Z are reserved for future discovery.  Generally toxic.

Major thanks go to Geoffrey Mandel and his Star Charts book for the use of this material BACK