Mine won't be about artifacts, maybe in another, or update of this one. But at the moment its just for bonuses. Thing is, the planets at present are 'just another base', where at least some of them should have properties you want to keep. Yes the Artifact planets you need and try to keep, but the others I always find myself uninterested in. They need more bonuses, some very good, and others that might even be a burden on your empire.

For example, if I jump into an enemy system, I choose the most lightly defended planet to take first, not which planet would most profit my empire or hinder his. The planets should be different to one another, not a collection of blank canvases, but a library of diversity.

Questions from above still apply

Another thought is to modify the number of exploration lvls so there is more chances for them. Example: maybe you want planet size to be a factor in this mod and it would obviously take more time and resources to fully explore a large Terran planet as it would an Asteriod. So the two choices are, modify the values of your stages so they cost more and take longer on the terran planet (or vice versa with the Asteroid), or add more stages to the terrn planets giving it more chances to get a bonus.

As far as bonus ideas how about some nasty ones to get people wondering:

War Site - -10 max population, 5% penalty to population growth, 5% penlty to plnet helath
Hostile Carnivores - 20% penalty to population growth
Impure Crystal - 10% penalty to Crystal Income, 5% penalty to Trade Income

Of course, you need some good to go with the bad:

Crystal Valley (or something along the lines of a Natural Crystal Formation) - 5% bonus to culture spread, 5% bonus to Crystal Income
Derlict Constructor - +1 Contructors, 5% bonus to Module Build rate
Gambling Hotspot - 15% bonus to Trade Income


Just don't forget to add in the Strings.

No idea about the Space Ponies, but a good collection of ideas there. I've got a similar one to the Carnivores, and I don't think the +1 constructor is available as a possible ability, but the rest look very good, thanks. As to pancakes points, I was more thinking along the line of what Bink said

EDIT: Just found the +1 Constructor bonus, I haven't seen it in-game yet, but thats good to hear you can have it.