A Celestial body is any natural phenomena that occurs within the void of wildspace, including suns, planets, moons, planetoids, asteroids, comets, nebulae and a host of other bodies.[1] The tremendous variety that is possible mandates that the only accurate definition for the term is: "any significant conglomeration of matter that is wheeling about wildspace". In general, however, a celestial body is usually a planetary body. Most have a regenerating atmosphere which is usually, but not always breathable, and can have any shape, though "spherical" is the most common.[2]
Celestial Body Classification[]
Most spacefarers and cartographers have adopted a standardized system to classify various celestial bodies. When referring to a celestial body, a three character code is used for easy reference. First is a definition of size, second describes the body's shape, and lastly describes the type of celestial body being dealt with.[3]
Size Classes[]
Size classes give information about the diameter of a celestial body:[4][5]
- Size A - Less than 10 miles in diameter
- Size B - 10-100 miles in diameter
- Size C - 100-1,000 miles in diameter
- Size D - 1,000-4,000 miles in diameter
- Size E - 4,000-10,000 miles in diameter
- Size F - 10,000-40,000 miles in diameter
- Size G - 40,000-100,000 miles in diameter
- Size H - 100,000-1,000,000 miles in diameter
- Size I - 1,000,000-10,000,000 miles in diameter
- Size J - More than 10,000,000 miles in diameter
Shape Classes[]
Shape classes give information about the general shape of the celestial body:[6]
- Amorphous or flexible in shape
- Belt of smaller objects in a single orbit
- Cluster of smaller objects in a small area
- Cubic
- Elliptical
- Flatworld
- Spherical
Two special shape classes exist for planets that do not conform to one of the above shapes:
- Regular (a regular shape that isn't otherwise listed)
- Irregular (a shape that isn't listed)
Type Classes[]
Type classes give information about the substance which is most abundantly found in the composition of the celestial body:[7]
- Air (also called a gas cloud)
- Earth (also called a world)
- Fire (also called a sun)
- Water (also called a water world)
Some sages add a fifth element:
- Plant (also called a liveworld)
Supplemental Notes[]
Supplemental notes give additional information about a celestial body.[8] Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Presence of and number of moons
- Lack of atmosphere (known as a voidworld)
- Lethal atmosphere
- A hollow planet
- Large extradimensional gates
- Xenophobic natives (marked by an 'X')
See also[]
- List of celestial bodies
- List of suns
- List of planets
- List of moons
- List of asteroids
- List of comets
- List of nebulae
Appendix[]
External links[]
- Celestial Body Classification at Beyond the Moons (the official Spelljammer website)
References[]
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Introduction, Concepts of Arcane Space section, pages 4-5
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Bodies section, chapter 1: Arcane Space, page 6
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, pages 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, page 34
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, page 6
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, page 36
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, pages 36, 38, and 40
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Celestial Body Classification sidebar, pages 40 and 42