Hinky Habbies

See, that's exactly one of the things I was wondering - what happens when there's lightening, among other reasons for combustion? I mean, if it's scientifically possible, who am I to argue? I just want to know that extreme planets like this are suitable rare ;)

Yes, it's just a guess of course .. but while it's difficult to imagine how a planet might get so oxygen rich, I think all it needs is something producing oxygen even when everything else is oxidised. The idea of all the fuel being used up, so there aren't any fires, doesn't explain why there's so much oxygen in the first place. But it would (I think) be possible to have stable oxyegn at that percent. How it got there is more mysterious.
 
Here is a guess:
We really don't see that many planet types and variations right now. Maybe some of the things, such as the way being tidally locked to star changes the planet, are not implemented yet. Maybe some planet types are not here either, and so it defaults to anohter type. Or something.
 
Hmmm, for me this depends on the definition of 'habitable'. Habitable doesn't necessarily mean for humans, but capable of sustaining life. It could also be the case that there are planets that are near human habitable but have a dangerous level of a particular gas that can easily be overcome with relatively simple PPE and filtration systems.

Not saying you are wrong though, just that it does depend what they mean by habitable. 95% oxygen atmosphere does sound a bit too volatile to be possible!

The thing that really bugs me since Beta 2 is that all the Earth-like planets look really washed out and cartoony. They used to look far more convincing to my eyes, with deep blue oceans like Earth actually looks in photos from space. Now they look rubbish and I've not seen a single person say anything other than how good they look (which they would if the entire planet was constantly covered by clouds) :S
 
Yes, it's just a guess of course .. but while it's difficult to imagine how a planet might get so oxygen rich, I think all it needs is something producing oxygen even when everything else is oxidised. The idea of all the fuel being used up, so there aren't any fires, doesn't explain why there's so much oxygen in the first place. But it would (I think) be possible to have stable oxyegn at that percent. How it got there is more mysterious.

Yes, how it is maintained in a free state given its reactivity is perplexing. Just about everything else on the surface is going to be reactive.

Oxygen is, i think, the 2nd most abundant element on (or rather, 'in') Earth's composition, after iron. And it's similarly ubiquitous on other planets, such as Mars. But it's bound up to other stuff - and the process of oxidation is exothermic, generating heat. Separating it out again requires an equal opposite input of energy.

And if for example that energy source was solar radiation, then there'd presumably also be significant solar wind and thus alpha particles (basically hydrogen nuclei) streaming into the atmosphere, thus generating vast quantities of water...


So you'd have a hot steam atmosphere - perhaps accounting for the extreme humidities noted - but then also making the extreme atmospheric O2 levels all the more puzzling. You just can't have it floating about free w/o a big badaboom. About 15% i think is the critical limit, at which point the atmosphere will spontaneously combust. IIRC.
 
Also let's not forget that pure oxygen is actually quite poisonous to most livng organisms, very much like Chlorine, that's why our Air is at best 25% oxygen.
 
See, that's what I was thinking, that some of these planets just aren't physically possible. That planet with oxygen levels in the 97% range was only the most extreme example - I saw numerous planets that had over 15% oxygen levels. That really sticks in my craw :( I mean, as long as there's still tweaking that's going to be done by FD, I'm happy. But... and bear with me here, because I'm using a dirty word... it really breaks immersion for me. Not in a silly, stupid way like ship paint jobs, but in a fundamental way, as in 'These planets is made of magic'.


Know what I'm saying?
 
I just saw a planet with an air pressure of 2000 atmospheres and a temperature of 700 degrees Kelvin.
The planet type? Ice world.

I think things like this is a proof that we simply don't have a fully working planet generator yet. That planet should be some kind of Venusian hell, but since there is no such planet type yet, it defaults to anohter planet type.

I am sure this will be fixed. Maybe even in Beta 3?
 
op: I would say that such "habitable worlds" are best broken down to their root words: "inhabit-able world". as such it would be defined as "a place a hermit could survive on in little more than a space winnebago.

or, to cause a smile to readers who know the reference:
crewman #57 said:
wait! don't just walk outside!! its a alien world! ...is there AIR?! YOU don't know!!
:D

so, Earth Like, or Inhabitable, means if you can step outside and your eyes don't explode out your skull, or the ground is not horribly acidic, it counts.

no one ever said they were going to be pleasant. But if its a fair bit more inhabit-able than Mars was, its already a valuable site, much easier to terraform (and we did terraform Mars, afterall)
 
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What does that mean, hinky?

Why don't you say strange or weird? I mean hinky, that has no meaning.

I don't want you guys using words with no meaning.

;):D
 
Habitable could be a very broad term. For extreme temperature planets think of Crematoria from Chronicles of Riddick, any habitat would have to be underground and most likely small and very expensive. Most likely such a planet would have to have something like vast mineral deposits or something worth the cost and risk of colonising, or using as a penal colony ;)

A 97% Oxygen atmosphere would be too risky to even contemplate colonising and I would suspect given the technology of Elite (reaction thrusters) impossible to get anything down to the surface. Even the mere presence of a hydrocarbon would react and set the whole lot off. More likely such a planet would serve as an oxygen "mine" for low orbit platforms.

Now, Earth-Like as a description would (to me) mean exactly what it sounds, a planet of similar gravity, atmosphere and weather. If such a planet were tidally locked then it would only really be habitable in the "twilight belt" and even then you would need tough shelters from storms and liquid water would be scarce.
 
Now, Earth-Like as a description would (to me) mean exactly what it sounds, a planet of similar gravity, atmosphere and weather.
Yeah. 'Earth-like' carries some obvious baggage.

'Habitable' should mean something like 'you wont die immediately if you take precautions'. Mars is 'habitable' if you wear an insulated compression suit and carry an air supply, for instance.

I imagine that a high-oxygen planet might be 'habitable' with the right sort of respirator if the pressures are otherwise OK.
 
You seem to be our leader...

We are (way) behind you, every step of the way...

The Devs do read the forum, so likely this has been highlighted.

However, what are the reasonable parameters for a habitable planet?

What are the probability or distribution curve for some of the extreme planets.

For example, a planet with 97% oxygen atmo at any point in time will quickly be 'sucked dry' by corps or react with other chemicals in the planet to reach an equilibrium state which has less free oxygen gas (something like that)
 
The Devs do read the forum, so likely this has been highlighted.

However, what are the reasonable parameters for a habitable planet?

What are the probability or distribution curve for some of the extreme planets?.

For example, a planet with 97% oxygen atmo at any point in time will quickly be 'sucked dry' by corps or react with other chemicals in the planet to reach an equilibrium state which has less free oxygen gas (something like that)


See, this is what I'm concerned about. I don't mind extreme, unusual examples of (technically) habitable planets, but I do expect them to be, well... unusual, lol :)
 
See, this is what I'm concerned about. I don't mind extreme, unusual examples of (technically) habitable planets, but I do expect them to be, well... unusual, lol :)

Maybe that a hint to scan or explore the planet further to find a bacterial or plant life that is converting everything it consumes to oxygen gas.

It does look unusually, but my ultimate not be out of place once all it's secrets are revealed.

I'm just making it all up as I go....:)
 
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