Nomenclature

While scientists poke about

It may be no suprise to many of you that scientists do not know what the difference is between a planet, gas giant, star, or asteroid is. I have a simple solution to the definition problem that will also play heavily into stellar colonization in the future.

1. Cosmic Dust - Dust, just like on earth usually fractions of an inch in particle size.


2. Cosmic Rubble - Particles between dust and bolder sizes (say 5 metric tons)


3. Asteroid - Any object larger than rubble whose own gravity does not force the object into a spheroid, or very close approximation.


4. Minor planet - Any spheroidal rocky object incapable of sustaining more than .5G


5. planet - Any spheroidal rocky object sustaining .5G - 2G (essentially being livable gravity)


6. Major planet - Any spheroidal rocky object sustaining greater than 2G


7. Minor Gas Planet - Any spheroidal object incapable of sustaining more than .5G at surface with no rocky core, or whose rocky core comprises less than 2% of its total mass


8. Gas Planet - Any spheroidal object sustaining .5G - 2G at surface with no rocky core, or whose rocky core comprises less than 2% of its total mass


9. Gas Giant - Any spheroidal object sustaining greater than 2G with no rocky core, or whose rocky core comprises less than 2% of its total mass


10. [Added 05/23/2006]Minor Liquid Planet - Any spheroidal object incapable of sustaining more than .5G at surface with a rocky core comprising more than 2% of its total mass and none of the surface area.


11. [Added 05/23/2006]Liquid Planet - Any spheroidal object sustaining .5G - 2G at surface with a rocky core comprising more than 2% of its total mass and none of the surface area.


12. [Added 05/23/2006]Liquid Giant - Any spheroidal object sustaining greater than 2G with a rocky core comprising more than 2% of its total mass and none of the surface area.


13. [Changed 05/23/2006]Gas Super Giant/Dwarf Star - Any spheroidal object capable of self-sustaining fusion that does not consume or involve enough mass to maintain a specific absolute brightness.


14. [Changed 05/23/2006]Star - Any spheroidal object whose fusion consumes or involves enough mass to maintain a specific absolute brightness.

Beyond this, according to currently held views, is just collections of these objects. Please comment or refine these definitions below.