CosmicDocs / Core Concepts / Stellar Objects

Stellar Objects Documentation

This document provides comprehensive information about stellar objects in our galaxy and beyond, including stars, planets, nebulae, and other celestial bodies.

Note: All measurements are based on Earth-relative observations and may vary based on relativistic effects.

Star Classification

Stars are classified based on their spectral characteristics and temperature. The Morgan-Keenan (MK) system is the standard classification scheme:

Class	Temperature (K)	Color	Example
O	> 30,000	Blue	Mintaka
B	10,000-30,000	Blue-white	Rigel
A	7,500-10,000	White	Sirius
F	6,000-7,500	Yellow-white	Procyon
G	5,200-6,000	Yellow	Sun
K	3,700-5,200	Orange	Arcturus
M	2,400-3,700	Red	Betelgeuse

Main Sequence Stars

Most stars, including our Sun, are main sequence stars that fuse hydrogen atoms to form helium in their cores. The position of a star on the main sequence is determined by its mass.

class Star {
    constructor(type, mass, luminosity) {
        this.type = type;
        this.mass = mass; // Solar masses
        this.luminosity = luminosity; // Solar luminosities
    }
    
    calculateLifetime() {
        // Stars live approximately 10^10 years × (M/L)
        return Math.pow(10, 10) * (this.mass / this.luminosity);
    }
}

Planetary Systems

Planetary systems consist of various types of planets orbiting a central star. The main categories include:

Terrestrial planets: Rocky planets with solid surfaces (e.g., Earth, Mars)
Gas giants: Large planets composed mainly of hydrogen and helium (e.g., Jupiter, Saturn)
Ice giants: Planets with significant amounts of water, ammonia, and methane (e.g., Uranus, Neptune)
Dwarf planets: Planetary-mass objects that don't dominate their orbit (e.g., Pluto, Ceres)

Warning: Planetary classification systems are continually evolving as we discover more exoplanets.

Nebulae and Other Objects

Nebulae are interstellar clouds of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases. There are several types:

Emission Nebulae

Glowing clouds of ionized gas that emit their own light (e.g., Orion Nebula).

Reflection Nebulae

Dust clouds that reflect the light of nearby stars (e.g., Witch Head Nebula).

Dark Nebulae

Dense clouds that block light from objects behind them (e.g., Horsehead Nebula).

Planetary Nebulae

Ejected outer layers of dying stars (e.g., Ring Nebula).