Planet Conditions by Distance

[Anima]

After having Celestia for about 5 months, I've begun work on a solar system add-on.

The system itself is around Alpha Sagittarii, and the planet I'm working on is about the same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.

What I'm concerned about is the scientific accuracy of the conditions of the planet based on its distance from A Sgr, the size of A Sgr, etc.

The planet, Erebus, is about the size of Mars. It's mostly rock, with a few pockets of water and no ice caps. As I envision its final form, it has a Venus-like cloud cover which keeps the sky relatively dark, but the planet itself warm enough to sustain life at such a distance from the Sun (at least according to what I do know about atmospheres) It's the second planet from A Sgr, and part of a three-planet system together with a Neptunian mass I plan to add later.

What I would like to know is if Erebus's conditions would be scientifically plausible given its distance from its sun.

P.S. Go easy on me. I'm a novice to astronomy in general.

[selden]

There are many variables which affect planetary configurations.

http://www.solstation.com/habitable.htm
might help a little.

[ajtribick]

Alpha Sagittarii (also known as Rukbat), unfortunately for Anne McCaffrey fans is not a "golden G-type star" capable of hosting habitable planets, but a blue-white star of spectral type B8. This pretty much rules out habitability: lots of ultraviolet, plus it is probably young enough that any terrestrial-type planets are going to be in the giant impacts stage.

So much for Pern and its teleporting dragons.