Atmosphere concept
Equilibrium Temperature
The temperature a planet would settle at if it simply balanced the starlight it absorbs against the heat it radiates, set by the star's output, the orbital distance, and the planet's reflectivity. It is a first estimate — real atmospheres shift it through greenhouse warming and heat redistribution — but it frames where a world sits relative to the habitable zone.
Highlights
- ›The starlight-balance temperature before any atmosphere
Methods, worlds & facilities
Knowledge connections
- Associated withPlanet Equilibrium Temperature
- Associated withThe Greenhouse Effect
- Associated withHabitable zone
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.