History logo

Type of planets

Space

By Vijay KumarPublished 4 months ago 4 min read
Like

Planets are celestial bodies that revolve around stars; they are categorized into several kinds according to distinct traits. Planets in our solar system are mainly divided into two groups: gas giants and terrestrial (rocky) planets. The primary kinds of planets are as follows:

Planets on Earth:

These are solid-surfaced, rocky planets.

usually possess a greater density.

Our solar system's Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are a few examples.

Gas giants:

The main constituents of these planets are gasses, like helium and hydrogen.

possess dense atmospheres and no solid surface.

Planets Jupiter and Saturn are two examples from our solar system.

Giants of Ice:

With a higher percentage of "ices" like water, ammonia, and methane, they resemble gas giants.

Examples from our solar system are Neptune and Uranus.

Small Planets:

These are minor celestial bodies that revolve around the Sun, but they still contain debris in their orbits.

One well-known example is Pluto, which the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded from a planet in 2006 to a dwarf planet.

extraterrestrial planets

planets outside of our solar system that orbit stars

can be of many different kinds, including as gas giants, terrestrial planets, and other unusual kinds.

Warm Jupiters:

gas giant exoplanets with high temperatures that orbit in close proximity to their parent stars.

Super-Earths:

masses of exoplanets greater than Earth's but less than that of Uranus or Neptune.

may have a strong atmosphere or be rocky.

Little Neptunes:

planets outside of Earth's orbit that are in between in terms of size and makeup.

Unfriendly Planets:

planets that wander freely through space without circling any stars.

Planets Pulsars:

planets around pulsars, which are neutron stars that rotate quickly and radiate electromagnetic beams.

Our knowledge of the diversity of planets both inside and outside of our solar system is constantly growing thanks to ongoing astronomical study, which informs these classifications based on visible traits and attributes.

Stars:

The temperature, luminosity, size, and other properties of stars differ. Based on these characteristics, astronomers categorize stars into various categories. Here are a few typical star types:

Primary Sequence Stars:

Most stars, including our Sun, belong to the main sequence of stars.

In their cores, they burn hydrogen to helium to produce energy.

The eight spectral categories of main sequence stars are O, B, A, F, G, K, and M, where O is the hottest and M is the coolest.

Giants in red:

stars that have grown larger after running out of hydrogen in their cores.

Compared to main sequence stars, red giants are bigger and colder.

In the later stages of its life, our Sun will turn into a red giant.

Dwarfs in White:

the leftover material from low- to medium-mass stars, such as our Sun, after their nuclear fuel has run out.

Earth-sized, extremely dense objects made mostly of carbon and oxygen are known as white dwarfs.

Superstars:

stars of extreme mass that are far bigger and brighter than stars in the main sequence.

can be categorized according to color as either blue or red supergiants.

Stars with neutron stars:

formed during a supernova explosion from the remains of huge stars.

incredibly dense, primarily made up of neutrons.

When neutron stars rotate quickly, they can be seen as pulsars because they release radiation beams.

Dark Holes:

created when huge stars collapsed, creating a zone of spacetime with such intense gravity that nothing could possibly escape, not even light.

From stellar-mass black holes to supermassive black holes in the cores of galaxies, black holes exist in a range of sizes.

Binary Stars:

systems in which two stars revolve around a single mass center.

Two main sequence stars, a main sequence star plus a white dwarf, or other combinations can make up binaries.

Changing Stars:

stars whose luminosities change throughout time.

Cepheid variables, RR Lyrae variables, and eclipsing binaries are examples of these types.

Initial stars:

When a star is first forming, its core has not yet experienced continuous nuclear fusion due to a collapsing cloud of gas and dust.

Dwarves and Subdwarfs:

Stars classified as subdwarfs have lower metallicity and luminosity than conventional main sequence stars.

Main sequence stars and specific star types, such as red dwarfs, are referred to as dwarfs.

These groups offer a general classification of stars according to their size, evolutionary stage, and other attributes. Astrophysics' study of stars and how they are categorized is crucial for understanding the life cycles and behaviors of these celestial objects.

ResearchLessonsGeneralEventsDiscoveries
Like

About the Creator

Vijay Kumar

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.