A planet (Vulcan)
Planet is the common designation for a certain type of celestial body orbiting a star. They occur in a great variety of different compositions, masses and surface conditions. The exact definition of what constitutes a planet varies among cultures.
Within the United Federation of Planets, celestial bodies with diameters below 100 kilometers are usually classified as planetoids or asteroids rather than planets.
The final appearance of a planet depends on its formation process, which means where and under what circumstances it formed. Planets may accumulate gigantic atmospheres, exceeding their original size and mass, or they may rest without any atmosphere at all. With a sufficient mass, a planet is able to accumulate so much gas, that it starts to undergo nuclear fusion, turning into a protostar. In this state it begins to emit energy, as its core temperature and density increase. Planets can also be changed to a Class M environment by terraforming (TNG: "Home Soil").
The Federation has numerous different classifications for planets depending on their mass, composition, surface environment and atmospheric compounds.
Types
From the article "planetary classification":
The standard Federation system of planetary classification categorizes planets based on various factors such as atmospheric composition, surface temperature, vegetation and size. Each class is designated with a letter, for example, Class M (name based on the Vulcan terminology "minshara-class") is the most suitable for humanoid long-term habitation.
Lists
All planets are collected in the category Planets. Additionally, several lists for specific groups of planets exist:
- Cardassian planets
- Dominion planets
- Earth colonies
- Federation colonies
- Federation members
- Homeworlds
- Inhabited planets
- Klingon planets
- Planets in the Delphic Expanse
- Romulan planets
- Uninhabited planets
- Unnamed planets
- Prime planets
- First planets
- Second planets
- Third planets
- Fourth planets
- Fifth planets
- Sixth planets
- Seventh planets
- Eighth planets
- Ninth planets
- Tenth planets
- Twelfth planets
- Fourteenth planets
- Twentieth planets