Chthonian planet rocky planet and not the eroded core of a gas or ice giant, due to the young age of the star system. Kepler-70b and Kepler-70c are sub-Earth planets that are thought to have been giant planets that were engulfed by the extended envelope of their star in its red giant phase vaporizing their gaseous envelope. Chthonian planet Chthonian planets (, sometimes 'cthonian') are a hypothetical class of celestial objects resulting from the stripping away of a gas giant's hydrogen and helium atmosphere and outer layers, which is called hydrodynamic escape. Such atmospheric stripping is a likely result of proximity to
Giant star of distinct evolutionary phases of their lives: a main red-giant branch (RGB); a red horizontal branch or red clump; the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), although AGB stars are often large enough and luminous enough to get classified as supergiants; and sometimes other large cool stars such as immediate post-AGB stars. The RGB stars are by far the most common type of giant star due to their moderate mass, relatively long stable lives, and luminosity. They are the most obvious grouping of stars after the main sequence on most HR diagrams, although white dwarfs are more numerous but far less luminous.