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Interface: PlanetInterface ​

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:42

Represents a planet or planetoid.

A planet is bound to one parent: usually a star, a binary system for a circumbinary planet, or the galaxy for a rogue planet. Its orbit describes the motion around that parent; see OrbitInterface.

Classification & Visualization:

  • Type (type): Scientific classification of the planet (e.g., terrestrial, gas giant, ice planet).
  • Category (category): Defines whether the object is a planet or a planetoid.
  • Drawing (display): colour, and state a renderer computes; see DisplayInterface.
  • Size (radius): Physical planet radius in kilometers (km).

Example ​

ts
const earth: PlanetInterface = {
  id: 'earth',
  name: 'Earth',
  type: 'terrestrial planet',
  category: 'planet',
  parent: 'sun',
  orbit: {
    a: { value: 1.0, unit: 'au' },
    e: 0.0167,
    period: { value: 365.256, unit: 'd' },
    angle: 1.753 as Radians
  },
  radius: { value: 6371, unit: 'km' },
  display: { color: '#4287f5' },
  x: { value: 0, unit: 'au' },
  y: { value: 1, unit: 'au' },
  z: { value: 0, unit: 'au' }
};

Properties ​

category ​

ts
category: 'planet' | 'planetoid';

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:68

Defines whether the object is a planet or a planetoid.

display? ​

ts
optional display?: DisplayInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:87

How to draw the planet: its colour, and state a renderer computes.

id ​

ts
id: string;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:44

Stable identifier, used by parent references. Never translated.

mu? ​

ts
optional mu?: number;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:79

Standard gravitational parameter μ=GM of the body alone, in m³/s², as the orbit equations take it. Given where JPL publishes one.

name ​

ts
name: string;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:46

Name of the planet (e.g., "Earth", "Mars").

orbit? ​

ts
optional orbit?: OrbitInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:72

Orbit around the parent.

parent? ​

ts
optional parent?: string;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:70

Id of the star, system or galaxy the planet is bound to.

radius ​

ts
radius: DistanceInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:74

Physical radius of the planet in kilometres.

type ​

ts
type:
  | "chthonian planet"
  | "carbon planet"
  | "coreless planet"
  | "desert planet"
  | "gas dwarf"
  | "gas giant"
  | "helium planet"
  | "hycean planet"
  | "ice giant"
  | "ice planet"
  | "iron planet"
  | "lava planet"
  | "ocean planet"
  | "proto planet"
  | "puffy planet"
  | "super-puff"
  | "silicate planet"
  | "terrestrial planet";

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:48

Type classification of the planet.

x? ​

ts
optional x?: DistanceInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:81

X-coordinate in the parent's frame. Optional: a rogue planet or an exoplanet may have no known position.

y? ​

ts
optional y?: DistanceInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:83

Y-coordinate in the parent's frame.

z? ​

ts
optional z?: DistanceInterface;

Defined in: celestial-bodies/planets.ts:85

Z-coordinate in the parent's frame.