Hypothetical astronomical object


Various unknown astronomical objects have been hypothesized throughout recorded history. For example, in the 5th century BCE, the philosopher Philolaus defined a hypothetical astronomical object which he called the "Central Fire", around which he proposed other celestial bodies moved.

Types of hypothetical astronomical objects

Hypothetical astronomical objects have been speculated to exist both inside and outside of the Solar System, and speculation has included different kinds of stars, planets, and other astronomical objects.

Hypothetical planet types

Hypothetical types of extrasolar planets include:
TypeDescription
Ammonia planet A planet with significant amounts of ammonia. May have lakes or oceans of ammonia.
BlanetA planet that directly orbits a black hole.
Carbon planetA terrestrial planet composed primarily of carbon, rather than silicon.
Chthonian planetA hot Jupiter whose outer layers have been completely stripped off by its parent star.
Chlorine planetA planet with significant amounts of free chlorine or hydrochloric acid.
Coreless planetA terrestrial planet that has no metallic core.
Desert planetA terrestrial planet with little to no water.
Extragalactic planetA planet that is located outside the Milky Way galaxy
Eyeball planetA tidally locked planet where uneven heating of the surface induces spatial features resembling a human eye.
Helium planetA gas giant composed mainly of helium instead of hydrogen.
Hycean planet A hot, water-covered planet with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere that is possibly capable of harboring extremophilic life.
Ocean planetA planet whose surface is covered entirely by deep oceans.
Superhabitable planetA terrestrial planet that is more habitable than Earth.
Tidally detached exomoonA planet that was originally a moon but has become gravitationally detached.
Toroidal planetA planet whose shape resembles a torus or doughnut.
Trojan planetA planet that orbits near the or Lagrange points of a more massive object.