Advanced Science Guide

Index
1. Introduction
2. Planet Classifications
3. Star Classifications
4. What are Planets?
5. What are Moons?
6. What are Stars?

1. INTRODUCTION
There are several planet classes that are commonly used within the scientific community. Each class denotes what temperature the planet would be and if it is able to sustain viable humanoid lifeforms. Stars also have classifications and life cycles that they follow, which will be covered. There are also several discoveries and terms that are helpful to know and will be covered in this guide.

2. PLANET CLASSIFICATION

	Class A Geothermal Age: 0-2 Billion years Diameter: 1,000-10,000 km Location: Exosphere/Cold Zone Surface: Partially Molten Atmosphere: Primarily Hydrogen Compounds Evolution: Cools to become Class C Life-forms: None Example: Gothos
	Class B Geomorteus Age: 0-10 Billion Years Diameter: 1,000-10,000 km Location: Hot Zone Surface: Partially molten, high surface temperature Atmosphere: Extremely tenuous, few chemically active gases Evolution: N/A Life-forms: None Example: Mercury
	Class C Geoinactive Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 1,000-10,000 km Location: Ecosphere/Cold Zone Surface: Low surface temperature Atmosphere: Frozen Evolution: N/A Life-forms: None Example: Pluto, Psi 2000
	Class D Asteroid/Moon Age: 2-10 Billion Years Diameter: 100-1,000 km Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone; found primarily in orbit of larger planets or in asteroid fields. Surface: Barren and cratered Atmosphere: None or very tenuous Evolution: N/A Life-forms: None Example: Moon (Sol llla), Lunar V (Bajor Vlle)
	Class E Geoplastic Age: 0-2 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Molten, high surface temperature Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds and reactive gases Evolution: Cools to become Class-F Life-forms: Carbon-cycle (Excalbian) Example: Excalbia
	Class F Geometallic Age: 1-3 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Volcanic eruptions due to molten core Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds Evolution: Cools to become Class-G Life-forms: Silicon-based (Horta) Example: Janus IV
	Class G Geocrystalline Age: 3-4 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Still Crystallizing Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide, some toxic gases Evolution: Cools to become Class-K, L, M, N, O or P Life-forms: Primitive single-celled organisms Example: Delta Vega
	Class H Desert Age: 4-10 Billion years Diameter: 8,000-15,000 km Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone Surface: Hot and Aric, little or no surface water. Atmosphere: May contain heavy gases and metal vapors Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Drought- and radiation- resisteant plants, animal life Example: Rigel Xll, Tau Cygna V
	Class I Gas Supergiant Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 140,000-10 million km Location: Cold Zone Surface: Tenuous, comprised of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates heat Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition; water vapor may be present Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Unknown Example: Q'TahL
	Class J Gas Giant Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 50,000-140,000 km Location: Cold Zone Surface: Tenuous, comprised of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates some heat Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Hydrocarbon-based (Jovian) Example: Jupiter, Saturn
	Class K Adaptable Age: 4-10 Billion years Diameter: 5,000-10,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Barren, little or no surface water Atmosphere: Thin, mostly carbon dioxide Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Primitive single-celled organisms; adaptable for humanoid colonization through the use of pressure domes Example: Mars, Mudd
	Class L Marginal Age: 4-10 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Rocky and barren, little surface water Atmosphere: Oxygen/argon, high concentration of carbon dioxide Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Limited to plant life; suitable for humanoid colonization Example: Indri Vlll
	Class M Terrestrial Age: 3-10 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Surface water abundant; if water or ice covers more than 80% of surface, planet is considered Class-O or Class-P Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Extensive vegetation, animal life, humanoids Example: Earth, Vulcan, Cardassia Prime
	Class N Reducing Age: 3-10 Billion Years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: High surface temperature due to greenhouse effect; water exists only as vapor Atmosphere: Extremely dense, carbon dioxide and sulfides Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Unknown Example: Venus
	Class O Pelagic Age: 3-10 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Liquid water covers 80% or more of surface area Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Aquatic vegetations, animal life, humanoids Example: Argo
	Class P Glaciated Age: 3-10 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km Location: Ecosphere Surface: Water ice covers 80% or more of the surface area Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Hardy vegetation, animal life, humanoids Example: Exo lll
	Class Q Variable Age: 2-10 Billion Diameter: 4,000-15,000 km Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone Surface: Ranges from molten to water and/or carbon dioxide ice, due to eccentric orbit or variable output of star Atmosphere: Ranges from tenuous to very dense Evolution: N/A Life-forms: N/A Example: Genesis Planet
	Class R Rogue Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 4,000-15,000 km Location: Interstellar space, cometary halos Surface: May be temperate due to geothermal venting Atmosphere: Primarily volcanic outgassing Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Non-photosynthetic plants, animal life Example: Dakala
	Class S Ultragiant Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 10,000-50,000 km Location: Cold Zone Surface: Tenuous, Composed of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates considerable heat Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition; water vapor may be present Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Unknown Example: N/A
	Class T Ultragiant Age: 2-10 Billion years Diameter: 50,000-120,000 km Location: Cold Zone Surface: Tenuous, composed of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates considerable heat Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition; water vapor may be present Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Unknown Example: N/A
	Class Y Demon Age: 2-10 Billion years Diamater: 10,000-50,000 km Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone Surface: Temperature can exceed 500* K Atmosphere: Turbulent, saturated with toxic chemicals and termionic radiation Evolution: N/A Life-forms: Mimetic (Delta Quadrant) Example: N/A

3. STAR CLASSIFICATIONS

Picture provided by Star Trek Star Charts- Paramount

4. What are Planets?

A planet is a body of considerable mass that orbits a star and that produces no energy through nuclear fusion. Prior to the 1990s only nine planets were known (all of them in our solar system). As of 3 November 2004, 133 are known, with all of the new discoveries being extrasolar planets, sometimes known as exoplanets; that is, planets outside of our solar system and orbiting other stars.

Planets are believed to form from a collapsing nebula that a star formed from, aggregating from gas and dust that orbited the protostar in a dense protostellar disk before the star's core ignited and its solar wind blew remaining material away.

An extrasolar planet (or exoplanet) is a planet which orbits a star other than the Sun, and therefore belongs to a planetary system other than our solar system.

5. What are Moons?

Chunks or balls of rocks that travel around planets. They are held in place by the gravity of the planet. All the planets in our solar system, except Mercury and Venus, have moons. The Earth has one moon. Jupiter has the most moons of all the planets - with more than 60.

6. What are Stars?

A star is any massive gaseous body in outer space, just like the Sun. Unlike a planet, a star generates energy through nuclear fusion and therefore emits light. All stars except the Sun appear as shining points in the nighttime sky that twinkle because of the effect of the Earth's atmosphere and their distance from us. The Sun is also a star, but it is close enough to Earth to appear as a disk instead, and to provide daylight.

The nearest star to the Earth, apart from the Sun, is Proxima Centauri, which is 39.9 trillion kilometres, or 4.2 light years away (light from Proxima Centauri takes 4.2 years to reach Earth). Travelling at the orbit speed of the Space Shuttle (5 miles per second -- almost 30 thousand kilometers per hour), it would take about 150 thousand years to get there.