create your own planet essay

Build Your Planet

Pick your density (g/cm³).

What will your planet be made of? Lots of dense metals like iron? Or lighter rocks like silicate?

Density is defined as p = m/V (mass / Volume), meaning the amount of mass you have in a given space. For reference, the density of iron is 7.8 g/cm3 while the density of silicate rock is between 2.0 and 4.5 g/cm3 (depending on structure).

Pick your Radius (km)

How big will your planet be? Do you want to build a small planet like Mercury or something much larger?

The radius of a sphere is the distance from the centre to the edge. Chang- ing the radius will change how big the sphere is, which will also affect the volume of your planet.

This combination of density and radius determines the volume and struc- ture of the planet you are designing. It will aect things like how hot is the planet, what will the surface look like, how will the planet's internal dynam- ics behave? Think about these questions as you select values and proceed to generate your own planet.

Select options from the drop down menus above and see what type of planet you create!

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How to Create a Fictional Planet

Last Updated: October 5, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Grant Faulkner, MA . Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.  There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 154,461 times.

Maybe you are writing a science fiction novel and are in need of a fictional planet to serve as the setting for your story. Or perhaps you plan to design the fictional planet first and then worry about how your characters inhabit the planet later. You should consider the physical aspects of the planet as well as the species that live on the planet. You should also decide on the rules of the planet and how the fictional planet is going to function in your story.

Determining the Physical Aspects of the Planet

• You may want to consider if you are trying to create a believable or realistic planet where humans can survive or if you are going for the fictional effect and not worrying about plausibility at all. You may end up creating an atmosphere for the planet that is similar to Earth so your reader is more likely to believe human life can survive on the planet.
• You should also think about how the atmosphere appears on the planet. Is the atmosphere foggy and thick with white gases or does it have patches of poisonous gases that appear green or blue? Maybe sections of your planet contain different atmospheres, leading to a wide range of gases and elements on the planet.

• Maybe the planet consists mostly of ice and it is always winter on the planet, with temperatures below zero. Or, perhaps there are areas of the planets that are tropical, with hot, humid temperatures and areas of the planet that are dry and arid.

• You may want the seasons to correspond with the climate and the atmosphere of the planet. Perhaps a planet that is made mostly of frozen water will have only one season: winter. Or, if the climate is tropical on the planet, it may be summer year round.
• Keep in mind the names of seasons on the planet can also be different than the ones we have on Earth. You are creating a fictional planet, after all, so you have the freedom to come up with new names for seasons and include them in your story.

• Perhaps the planet consists of a variety of landscapes, such as ice capped mountains, grassy hills, desert plains, and tropical jungle. Or, maybe there is only one type of landscape on the planet, such as a planet made of ice that contains glaciers, ice walls, and frozen forests. [4] X Research source
• You should also consider if there are going to be bodies of water on the planet, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Perhaps there is only one long body of water that circles the entire planet or several lakes that are considered sacred to the people living on the planet.

• You can make a specific landmark a key element in the journey of your protagonist so the landscape feels central to your story. Maybe your protagonist has to journey to a central tower to receive important information from the planet’s government. Or, maybe your protagonist is searching for a key buried in a sacred mountain on the planet.

• You may include mineral resources like gold, iron, or coal. There may also be precious stones like diamonds or pearls on the planet.
• You may include natural resources like fossil fuels or natural gas. Or, the planet may contain lots of forests for timber and fertile land for growing crops.

• You should consider how the planet's cities, towns, and villages are going to factor into your story. Maybe your protagonist lives in a large city in a specific spot on the planet. Perhaps your antagonist lives in a remote town. Consider how you are going to use the lay out of the planet in your story and build it from there.

• For example, maybe you are creating a planet that is divided into two sides: one of ice and one of sand. You may then label one side “Frigid Land” and list details about the atmosphere, climate, and landscape in this area. You may list: “Blue atmosphere, below zero temperatures, populated by glaciers, ice walls, snow-capped mountains, and sparse forest.”

Designing the Species on the Planet

• Determine a rough estimate of the population of the different species on the planet. Maybe humans are outnumbered by aliens, or humans and aliens are outnumbered by a species of animal on the planet.
• You should consider the different races that live on the planet. Maybe there are different races of humans who live in specific areas or locations on the planet. There may be different races of aliens as well who only inhabit a specific area on the planet.

• You may want to try using some of the unique biodiversity found on Earth as a jumping off point. Do some research on strange biodiversity on Earth and put it in as part of your planet’s biodiversity. [9] X Research source
• Another option is to take an existing plant or animal and make them more unique or strange. Your planet may be populated by grapevines that excrete blood, for example, or wildebeests who are only two inches tall. Get creative and turn familiar elements of our world into unique ones for your fictional planet.

• You should consider the origin of the planet and the species. Is the planet a distant star that was inhabited by aliens who crash landed on it? Or did the species grow and evolve on the planet over a long period of time?
• You should also consider major events in the history of the planet. Maybe the aliens who crash landed had to overthrow a species who already lived on the planet. Or perhaps the species who evolved on the planet had to survive the dark ages to then be prosperous on the planet.

• Keep in mind you are creating a fictional planet and you do not need to stick to realistic ideas of technology. You have the freedom to create your own versions of existing technology, such as cellphones that are called beam-hands or a version of the internet that is called simply "the Net". Get creative and do not be afraid to create your own technologies for the species on your planet.

Creating the Rules of the Planet

• For example, perhaps there is a specific area of the planet that is known for its magical forest, which seems to swallow up anyone who enters. Or maybe the planet contains patches of green gas that can suffocate anyone who is not wearing the proper breathing gear.
• There may also be magical beings who exist as species on the planet. You may limit magic to only these magical beings, who bring magic with them, rather than have magic be a part of the planet’s make up.

Grant Faulkner, MA

Treat your new world as a real world with its own physical rules. Whether you're creating a world on another planet or one on Earth, you need to know the rules. If there is magic, understand how it works in relation to the physical rules. If people can fly, there are still rules on how fast or high they can fly. Creating a realistic new world is about the way you define the rules and then being consistent.

• You may decide to treat the planet as another character in your story, with a mind of its own. Perhaps it creates conflict for your characters, where they have to escape the inhospitable planet to stay alive.

• You should consider where the planet is located exactly within a larger system.
• The rules of the planet may also be based on its position in a solar system, where it is limited by a larger planet or in control of smaller planets. Think about the positioning of the planet in relation to other planets and celestial bodies, such as stars, meteorites, and black holes.

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• ↑ https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2915/the-atmosphere-getting-a-handle-on-carbon-dioxide/
• ↑ https://www.geocurrents.info/geographical-thought/geography-and-science-fiction-the-creation-of-realistic-alternative-worlds
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/writing-tips-write-scenery-novels-8696432.html
• ↑ https://gizmodo.com/the-worst-blunders-people-make-in-inventing-fictional-a-1527153617
• ↑ https://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A1151731
• ↑ https://thewritelife.com/worldbuilding/
• ↑ https://gizmodo.com/three-tips-for-creating-a-brand-new-alien-planet-from-s-5976266
• ↑ https://thewritepractice.com/world-building-science-fiction/

About This Article

If you want to create a believable fictional planet, start by making its climate. For example, do you want your planet to be mostly hot or cold, or balanced like Earth’s? Since a big part of your planet’s climate are its seasons, decide whether you want simply a winter and summer, or if you want to go big and give it 10 seasons! Then, choose the technology you’ll have on your planet, and if magic should exist too. Once you’re happy with how your planet works, plan your cities and towns, and draw a fictional map to get a feel for how it all looks. For more tips, including how to create the planet’s life forms and plants, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Plaid Pladd

Writing assignment: create your own planet.

Essay excerpts:

My planet is called ChocolateLand because it is entirely made of chocolate. If you go there, you’ll have to meet everybody, but watch out! They will probably try to lick you because this is how they greet each other. Their food is sugar.

The kids on my planet get taught by wizards. They learn magic, fighting, growing plants, and hypnotism.

If you do something bad, you get sent back to Earth. Or you go to the mines, where they mine for water, which is very rare.

On my planet it rains dolphins.

Tagged: planets , tutoring , writing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Uncategorized . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 responses to “Writing Assignment: Create Your Own Planet”

I love the idea of raining dolphins!!! AMAZING!

I like the idea of licking someone as a greeting. Actually on second thought, that is disgusting…

“ON MY PLANET IT RAINS DOLPHINS.”

Best world EVER??

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Design your own planet.

Imagination is a spark needed to make the best inventions or art. In this activity, Design Your Own Planet, learners will imagine a new planet in the solar system. What will it look like? What are the inhabitants like? Children can let their imaginations run wild and include as much scientific thinking as they desire with this design challenge. While you are leading your child through the activity, allow them to work independently. Designed for preschoolers through fifth graders, this fun activity will intertwine arts with science, and get your child’s creative juices flowing.

What You Need:

• Internet access
• Paintbrushes
• Construction paper

What You Do:

• Do a search online for pictures of Earth from outer space and show them to your child. Talk to your child about what Earth looks like, and discuss different environments, such as rainforest or deserts.
• Now show them online photos of other planets and explain that there are other planets in our solar system. Ask your learner, “Can you design and make your own planet?”
• Encourage your child to make a plan . Ask your learner, “What will your planet look like? What animals will live on the planet? What is the name of your planet? What materials do you need to make your vision come true?”
• Give your child some craft materials and have them create their design. Allow them to work independently, but be available with ideas and suggestions if they ask for help. As your child creates their planet, ask them, “Is this what you imagined? What other materials do you need for your planet?”
• Tell your little designer to play with their new planet. Have them imagine landing on their planet in a spaceship. What would they do? What would they see?
• After imagining their journey through their planet, ask your child what ways they can adjust their design. For example, ask questions like, “What do you want to change about your planet? What do you wish your planet had?” 
• Have your creator make any changes they find necessary.
• Challenge designers to share their planet. They can record a video or draw their design on paper. They can mention what the planet looks like, what the temperature and environment is like, and what animals live on the planet.

Amplify this challenge! If your child enjoyed this challenge, take them one step further. Ask them one or more of these questions:

• Can you create different ecosystems or environments on your planet?
• Can you imagine other creatures living on the planet that do not exist on Earth? Do they breathe? What do they do?

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