planetkiller

Planetkiller is a term used to describe hypothetical celestial bodies or phenomena capable of destroying an entire planet. This concept primarily exists within science fiction and theoretical discussions rather than established scientific understanding. In fiction, planetkillers often take the form of massive artificial weapons, such as the Death Star in Star Wars, designed to obliterate planets. They can also be depicted as natural cosmic events, like rogue planets on a collision course with inhabited worlds or supermassive black holes with extraordinarily disruptive gravitational fields.

Scientifically, the destruction of a planet would require an immense amount of energy. The most plausible natural mechanisms for planetary destruction involve catastrophic astronomical events. A direct, high-speed collision with another celestial body of comparable or greater mass would undoubtedly shatter a planet. Similarly, being too close to a supernova explosion could strip away a planet's atmosphere and potentially cause significant structural damage through intense radiation and shockwaves, though complete obliteration is less likely. The gravitational forces of a star or a large planet could also lead to tidal disruption if a smaller planet ventures too near its Roche limit.

While fictional planetkillers are a common trope, the scientific likelihood of a planet being completely destroyed by a single, naturally occurring event is extremely low, given the vast distances and relative stability of most star systems. However, the theoretical possibility of such events, however improbable, remains a subject of scientific speculation.