Aurora System

Aurora-3

World Type: Standard (Garden)

Diameter: 11,816 mi. (1.49 Earth)

Gravity: 1.19 G

Density: 4.18

Axial Tilt: ?°

Atmos. Pressure: 1.124

Atmos. Comp.: 76% Nitrogen, 23% Oxygen, .94% Argon. Approx. 1% water vapor.

Hydrographic Coverage: 30%

Climate Type: Warm

Temp. Range: 96 °F

Seas are liquid water containing metal salts and other impurities.

RVM: 0

Habitability: 7

Aurora-4

Alternate name: “Tithonus” (lover of Aurora in myth)

• Class-A Gas supergiant
• 160,000 km diameter
• Occupies 4th orbit of Aurora star
• Atmosphere: 59% hydrogen, 37% helium, 3% nitrogen, 1% other gases. Some water vapor preset in upper atmosphere.

The planet structure is thought to consist of an outer layer of molecular hydrogen, surrounding a layer of liquid metallic hydrogen, with a probable rocky core. The layers of atmosphere gradually blend into the liquid interior at pressures greater than the critical pressure, so that there is no clear boundary between atmosphere and body.

The outermost portion of the hydrogen atmosphere is characterized by many layers of visible clouds. The metallic hydrogen layer makes up the bulk of the planet, and is described as "metallic" because the great pressure turns hydrogen into an electrical conductor. The core likely consists of heavier elements at such high temperatures (20000K) and pressures.

Life-forms on Tithonus

The recent discovery of life forms on Tithonus was a significant scientific development. These creatures inhabit the dense, cloudy atmosphere of the gas giant known as Tithonus. They are simple creatures possessing no intelligence, not much more than giant microbes. Federation scientists are currently studying these life forms and will provide greater detail in the future. The following designations were coined by the discoverer of the life forms, Dr. Valentine Kostantin, who currently heads the Federation study of Tithonus.

Floaters. Large creatures (1-6 km across) resembling bell-shaped clouds which float in the upper atmosphere of the planet. They show up as dense cloud formations on scans. Slow-moving. Non-threatening. Great lazy herds as far as the eye can see. Patterns on their skin provide camouflage within the hydrogen clouds. They propel themselves with gusts of gas. They subsist on preformed organic molecules in the dense atmosphere of the middle layer. Their bodies are little more than a giant bag of hydrogen.

Hunters. Fast, maneuverable batlike creature which dominate the middle layer (and slightly higher) of the atmosphere. They feed on the Floaters for their organic molecules and their store of pure hydrogen. They are able to plunge deep toward the center of the planet for brief periods. When hunters reproduce they dive toward the core, birth their offspring and then plunge into the inner atmosphere, where they are crushed from the pressure and then obliterated by the heat. Due to their short lifespans, there are not many hunters.

Sinkers. In the middle atmospheric layer of the planet, these creatures enjoy a brief existence. They are born in the intense pressures of the lower atmosphere. As they age they drift upward, consuming hydrogen and expanding in size. Once they reach the edge of the outer atmosphere, they burst and fall back to the center. Their organic molecules are recycled in the creation of another generation of creatures.

The Moons of Tithonus

Minor moons

Eos. Class-D airless rock in close orbit, the moon is constantly under the gravitational influence of Aurora-4, making it geologically unstable. The surface is subject to major upheavals on a regular basis. Volcanic plumes jet from the surface toward Aurora-4 daily.

Troy. Class-K airless rock. Much more stable than Eos. Initial surveys show some deposits of various metals. Suitable for mining with protective equipment.

Achilles. Class-K. Arid but with breathable atmosphere. Mild-to-hot daytime temperatures due to the heat of Aurora-4 but deadly cold nights. No known water. No known life.

Paris. Class-L. At 15,000km diameter, Paris is the largest of Tithonian moons. Less than 20% of the surface of Paris is water. The atmosphere is composed primarily of oxygran and argon, with a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Dense cloud layer inhibited early scans of the system. Recent probes determined the surface of Paris consisted on a single large land mass with a half-dozen large lakes. The land area is covered in thick jungle, suggesting the presence of large underground lakes which feed the verdant ecosystem.

Hector. Class-P. This glaciated world is smaller than Paris and much colder. The atmosphere is rich in oxygen and nitrogen, making it inhabitable and subject to future colonization efforts. Scans have located deposits of diamond and other materials in the mountainous regions.

Achilles

The third moon of Auroura-4, the initial scientific survey revealed Achilles to be quite a puzzle. One hemisphere of the moon always faces Aurora-4, while the other is eternally dark. The moon has no detectable biosphere and no sign of life in any form, yet there is a (barely) breathable atmosphere. The soil and moon crust appear to be abundant in heavy metals. Some scientists have theorized there may be subsurface ice and some type of algae growth that creates the oxygen.

Achilles generates an intense but low-level gravimetric field. Scans of the inner planet reveal a molten core which rotates at a velocity nearly three times that of the moon itself. The surface itself is mostly featureless, with rocks scattered about the terrain. There are a dozen very large (5km diameter) craters on the side of Achilles which faces Tithonus.

Beneath the stony featureless terrain of Achilles is an ice crust which varies in thickness from 1km to 5km (thicker on the “dark” side of the moon, facing away from Tithonus). The ice is very dense and moving very slowly, like a glacier. Large patches of algae thrive underneath the ice.

Paris

It’s a jungle down there. No person has set foot on the fourth moon of Tithonus. Its atmosphere is not breathable to humans, and contains elements which corrode many of the materials which construct environmental suits. The thick foliage rather limits sensors scans, so little is known in detail about the moon surface. The surface appears to be a single large land mass with several large lakes connected by an elaborate network of rivers. Recent satellite surveys suggest other formations and possible structures beneath the surface. A team of Federation scientists will be using probes to study the moon in greater depth.

Hector

The fifth moon of Tithonus is a cold, barren, mountainous arctic paradise. The atmosphere is quite breathable and actually very pleasant. There are several life forms on the moon, all adapted to the extreme cold environment. A few early arrivals (colonist as well as Starfleet personnel) have ventured to the moon to hunt the creature they call the “snow beast.”

Snow Bear. A large but stealthy bear-like creature. White fur gives it excellent camouflage against the snow. The bear is nearly invisible during a storm.

Snow Lion. Solitary hunter. Extremely intelligent. The only thing that will attack – and can kill – a snow bear.

Snow Beast. Smart, evil-tempered giant boar-like creature. The formidable prey of both the snow bear and snow lion. About twice the size of a Terran wild boar.

Snow Unicorn. A few hunters, lost in one of the frequent blizzards that storm Hector, have told half-mad tales of this deer-like creature with a single horn in its forehead. No one has verified the existence of the creature. If they do exist, they are likely quite apprehensive, considering the formidable predators in their habitat.

See also

• Aurora Sector Systems of Interest