Chthonian Planet

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A Chthonian planet, is a hypothetical class of celestial objects resulting from the stripping away of a gas giant's hydrogen and helium atmosphere and outer layers. Such atmospheric stripping is a likely result of proximity to a star. The remaining rocky or metallic core would resemble a terrestrial planet in many respects. HD 209458b is an example of a planet that is in the process of having its atmosphere stripped away, though it is not itself a Cht ...