The Challenge
Background
We live in a solar system with eight planets that are extremely diverse in both size and chemistry. We now know that many of our stellar neighbors have planetary systems of their own. These extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, are discovered through a variety of methods, but primarily through two techniques: measuring the changing brightness of a star due to a planetary transit, or measuring the Doppler shift in the star’s light caused by the changing radial velocity of the star due to a planet’s gravity.
Thanks to satellites such as the Kepler Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, thousands of exoplanets have been detected and characterized, with a huge variety in characteristics. We now know more about relationships among different types of stars and different types of planets than we have ever before. Your challenge is to create a game that will allow players to customize the characteristics of a star and design planets that could reasonably exist in that star system. Some key customizable features could include size, orbit, atmospheric and surface chemistry, and moons. Ensure that this game provides an educational experience for users on where certain types of planets can exist and what parameters may be necessary for a planet that can harbor life.
Potential Considerations
Not all planets are created equal. Realistically, we cannot customize every aspect of a planet, because so many characteristics rely on others. Be sure to include reasonable restrictions on planetary design to ensure that the game is educational in the areas of planetary and atmospheric chemistry based on the planet’s relationship with a star. For example, in order to have liquid water, a planet must have an orbit around its star that puts it at a proper temperature for water to exist as a liquid. On your team’s project page, be sure to describe the physical and chemical relationships that inform your game, and let your imagination run wild!