Halaxon XI and XII

Note : This page was inspired by VikingFylla's Universe Sandbox LP. Changes were made due to similarities to our own planets.

Halaxon (also spelled Halazon) XI and XII are binary stars located in the Halaxon Cluster around 4,000 light years from Earth. Each of the two stars has its own system though XII's isn't as spectacular as that of its larger companion.

Halaxon XI
Halaxon XI is a G2 main sequence star with a mass of 1.2 solar masses. Of the two stars in its binary system, it has the larger and more complex. It is around 4 billion Earth years old, and is expected to last another 4-5 billion years longer.

Khan
Khan is the closest planet to its star at a distance of 22.7 million km, which makes it's year last a mere 17 days. Its orbit is very eccentric and inclined with an eccentricity of 0.38 and an inclination of 21.2 degrees. It is 68,971 km across, and has 47.1 Earth masses. The planet is white in color with thin blue bands wrapped around it. It orbits near an asteroid belt, but has yet to capture one. It has no moons.

Vauxavia
Vauxavia is the 2nd planet in the system at a distance of 76.1 million km. It is 13,937 km across and has 93% of Earth's mass. Vauxavia is the closer of 2 desert planets, Sandoru being the other. It has a breathable atmosphere, but it's very turbulent, tending to kick up dust storms without warning, though its dust storms are nowhere near as massive and violent as Sandoru's.

Garlon is Vauxavia's only moon, orbiting at around 154,000 km. It is 2,705 km across and has only 29% the Moon's mass. It orbits its planet in around a week at an average distance of around 153,000 km. It is a dry, airless ball of rock, but has been visited.

Sandoru
Sandoru is the third planet in the system, orbiting at 94.9 million km in 169 Earth days. It is 11,180 km across and has 48% of Earth's mass. The planet's surface is very reflective, so it's easy to spot. It also has a breathable atmosphere, but the winds can kick up violent dust storms. Lightning has been reported in Sandoru's dust storms. The dust that makes up the sandy surface is very fine, so it tends to float around in the wind.

Sandoru's Moons
Kanera is the closest moon to Sandoru, orbiting at 94,619 km in 5.21 Earth days. It's 2,789 km across, but only has 32% of the Moon's mass. The moon's surface is red in color and has several shield volcanoes scattered across the surface. It has no atmosphere, so a space suit is required.

Naxas is the second moon from Sandoru, orbiting at 167,748 km in 12.4 Earth days. It's 2,667 km across and has 15% of the Moon's mass. It's surface is strangely icy with craters all over. It also has no atmosphere. A space suit is needed here.

EAE I is a mysterious object, about 150 km across, orbiting Sandoru. Information about this moon is classified, so its properties are unavailable, which has led to conspiracy theories.

Qaerina
Qaerina is the 4th planet in the system at a distance of 139 million km, so a year here lasts around 300 Earth days. It has twice Earth's mass and is around 21,000 km across. The planet is lush with life and has large, deep oceans, but it is very geologically active due to its closest moon, Skypulse. The planet's civilizations are surprisingly friendly toward one another as they have been bonded together by ideas brought to them by visiting tourists. It also orbits near an asteroid belt, which adds to the beauty of the night, but does make Qaerina vulnerable to impacts. Qaerina is also the capital planet of the Qaerinian Empire.

Qaerina's Moons
Skypulse is Qaerina's largest and closest moon, at around 212,000 km. It is 5,378 km across and is nearly twice as massive as Earth's Moon. Skypulse is a spectacular sight in the night sky to new visitors due to its violent nature. The moon's surface is cracked like shattered glass, with lava always seeping through said cracks, and is littered with volcanoes which are constantly erupting. These ongoing, violent eruptions make bright flashed on the otherwise coal-black surface. The moon has no atmosphere, so a space suit is a requirement if you wish to land on this tortured moon.

European Exodus I and EAE II are the other two "moons". They are much smaller than Skypulse and are nowhere near as massive. European Exodus I is another mysterious object, 150 km across. All other properties are classified, which, again raises suspicions about this object. It orbits at 365,989 km in 18 Earth days. EAE II is around 700 km across and is roughly spherical. It's not the smoothest moon in the Halxon XI system and is covered in craters.

Takhara
Takhara is the largest planet in the system at a massive 328,768 km across and 13.8 times the mass of Jupiter. It orbits Halaxon XI at a distance of 6.58 Astronomical Units (AU), with an orbital period of 15.4 Earth years. The planet has a large ring system and many moons. It's light blue in color with white, wispy clouds flowing all over the planet.

Takhara's Moons
Swonx was the first of Takhara's moons to be discovered. It orbits Takhara at an average distance of around 4.56 million km and takes 17.4 Earth days to complete an orbit. It is around 4,000 km across and has 68% of the Moon's mass. It is an icy moon with no atmosphere and a surprisingly smooth surface considering it orbits very close to the rings. The moon also has a weak magnetic field which is an indication of a warm interior.

Lorania is the Takhara's closest moon at around 1.38 million km away which makes its orbital period a mere 2.9 Earth days. This moon is around 5,000 km across and has 1.46 lunar masses. Lorania has a thin atmosphere and a cratered surface. This indicates that it once orbited further away from Takhara, perhaps within the rings, but migrated inwards. It has no magnetic field, meaning it has no protection from Takhara's deadly radiation levels. It's also geologically active due to Takhara's massive gravity.

Palegra is one of the more distant of Takhara's moons, orbiting the planet at a distance of 9.59 million km in 53.2 Earth days. It is around 2,000 km across and has 0.015 lunar masses. It is a heavily cratered world as it orbits within Takhara's rings.

Zita is one of Takhara's moons. Its distance is currently unavailable due to a scam that took place there. It's 3,664 km across and has a little more than half the Moon's mass. It's an icy moon that has large deposits of valuable metals on its surface, making it a magnet for miners. The moon has no magnetic field or atmosphere, so special space suits are required to set foot here.

Larissa is the farthest moon from Takhara, orbiting at roughly 25 million km in 224 Earth days, the same as a Venusian year. Its size and mass are identical to Mars, indicating that it was once a planet on its own, but was later captured by Takhara's gravity. Larissa is another icy moon, but it lacks the valuable metals that Zita has. It does have a breathable atmosphere and a magnetic field.

Larissa also has a moon of its own called Gantzork. It orbits Larissa at 67,683 km in 6.02 Earth days. It's 952 km across and has a tad over 1% of the Moon's mass. This moon is roughly spherical with dark maria, indicating a volcanic past.

Another mysterious object, called EAE VII, has recently been spotted orbiting very close to Larissa. Its properties are also classified.

Kokorun is a recently discovered moon that orbits Takhara at 15.2 million km in 106 Earth days. Its orbit is wildly inclined at 60.6 degrees. It's 3,253 km across and has 82% of the Moon's mass. It's also tidally locked to Takhara, but its volcanic and tectonic activity is, thus far, unexplainable.

Byron
Byron is a gas giant that orbits Halaxon XI at around 3.83 AU, giving it an orbital period of around 6.85 Earth years. It is around 60,000 km across and has 16 Earth masses. The planet is a yellowish tan color with brown bands. Its rotational axis is tilted 90 degrees and it is, oddly enough, tidally locked to the star. This means that the same geographic pole always points towards the star, leading to unusual weather.

The planet also has rings, but they're very obvious due to their reflective properties.

Byron's Moons
Gobora is Byron's closest moon at 227,989 km distant and orbits in just 3.28 Earth days. As it is very dim, it is difficult to accurately measure its size and mass, though they are believed to be similar to that of Mercury.

Vormhaul is the second moon from Byron at around 445,000 km distant, (the actual distance constantly fluctuates, so it's difficult to accurately measure), and orbits the planet in 8.97 Earth days. It is around 4,000 km across, but its mass and appearance are currently unknown.

Bach is the third moon in the system at 709,531 km distant and orbits in exactly 18 Earth days. It's around 3,500 km across and has 1.5 lunar masses. It is a very geologically active moon, so anyone landing here might want to take precautions.

The Cerberus Planets
The Cerberus Planets are 3 gas giants that orbit around each other. They orbit Halaxon XI at 11.5 AU, and take 35.6 Earth years to complete an orbit.

Cerberus I is the largest of the three and the most massive. It is 134,078 km across and has 46% the mass of Jupiter. The planet is similar in color to Saturn, only it's slightly darker. The planet's rotation axis is also tilted 45 degrees, which, combined with its rapid rotation, gives it wild weather. It has no rings or moons.

Cerberus II is the second of the three and orbits Cerberus I at 1.21 million km in 12 Earth days. It is similar in size and appearance to Uranus. Its orbit is inclined by 29.6 degrees. This planet is tidally locked to Cerberus I, so the same side always faces its cousin. It has no rings or moons.

Cerberus III is the smallest of the three. It orbits Cerberus I at around 5 and a half million km in around 100 Earth days. Its orbit is inclined by 27.7 degrees. It is slightly smaller than Neptune at roughly 48,000 km across, but is more massive at around 19 Earth masses. It is also tidally locked to Cerberus I.

Cerberus III has no rings, but it does have a single moon named Duzon. This moon is very mysterious, as its rapid orbit makes it difficult to observe. It is estimated to be 3,000 km across, but its mass is a matter open to question.

Talamar
Talamar is a terrestrial planet on the outskirts of Halaxon XI's system. It orbits the star at 16.5 AU in 61 Earth years. It is a massive planet at 32,614 km across and having 16.5 Earth masses. It is heavily cratered and has extensive maria, indicating a geologically active past. It has no axial tilt at all.

Talamar's Rings
Due to the planet's gravity, Talamar has its own rings system, possibly drawing asteroids from the outer belt into orbit. The innermost ring is the densest, comprises around 70% of the rings' total mass. The next ring out is fainter, its particles farther apart. The outermost ring is the faintest, comprised of little more than clumps of super-fine dust.

Talamar's Moons

Kunoth is the closest moon to Talamar at a distance of 427,130 km in 7.91 Earth days. Its orbit is inclined to Talamar's equator by 32.8 degrees and it is tidally locked to Talamar. It is 5,200 km across and is twice as massive as Earth's Moon. Kunoth has a strong magnetic field, which helps protect it from the star's radiation. It also has a very thick atmosphere, which surface pressure being exactly what it is on Earth, allowing it to create auroras. It also has complex weather pattern and has large amounts of oxygen, so it is breathable. It also has large amounts of liquid water and has been confirmed to have life.

Xalamari is the largest of Talamar's moons, orbiting at 792,899 km in 20 Earth days. It's roughly 5,500 km across and has a little over three lunar masses. This moon is also tidally locked to Talamar. Unlike Kunoth, Xalamari has no atmosphere nor magnetic field, leaving it vulnerable to intense radiation. It's also heavily cratered.

Darelus is the smallest of Talamar's moons, orbiting at 2.2 million km in 92.4 Earth days. It is roughly 3,000 km across and has 0.2 lunar masses. Unlike the other moons, Darelus does rotate on its own, but it does so very quickly, taking mere hours to rotate once. This gives it an oblate appearance. It also has a very compact ring system of its own, likely stealing matter from Talamar's rings.

Vezena is the furthest of Talamar's moons, orbiting 4.81 million km away in 299 Earth days. It is similar in size and mass to Earth's Moon. It is also tidally locked to Talamar. This moon is geologically dead and is covered in craters.

Loyoma
Loyoma is a gas giant that orbits Halaxon XI at 19.3 AU in 77.2 Earth years. It is 61,965 km across and has 26.5 Earth masses. The planet is a very dark brown color with black regions here and there. Its axis is tilted by 90 degrees, but it always points sideways in relation to Halaxon XI. Basically, Loyoma spins on its side, but its equator always lines up perfectly with Halaxon XI. It has a single ring that is very dense.

Loyoma's Moons
Litner is the closest moon to Loyoma, orbiting at 173,644 km in 1.62 Earth days. Its orbit is inclined to Loyoma's axis by 51.5 degrees. It is 4,806 km across and has 1.46 lunar masses. Litner is tidally locked to Loyoma. It has no atmosphere nor magnetic field. This is bad news to anyone wishing to land here, as it's bathed in radiation from Loyoma. It's also geologically active due to Loyoma's gravity.

Thorius is the second of Loyoma's moons, orbiting at 286,363 km in 3.43 Earth days. It's 3,643 km across and has 1.22 lunar masses. It's also tidally locked to Loyoma, despite the 15.4 degree inclination to Loyoma's axis. This moon is geologically dead, but, like Litner, lacks an atmosphere, but unlike Litner, possesses a magnetic field. Its atmosphere is sufficient to allow auroras.

Marxus is the largest and furthest of Loyoma's moons, orbiting at 547,756 km in 9.07 Earth days. It's 5,268 km across and has 2.02 lunar masses. Despite the 16.9 degree inclination, this moon, like the others, is tidally locked. This moon has a very strong magnetic field, far stronger than Takhara's, which boggles the mind. It's appearance is similar to Mercury.

Erion is an ice world that seems to be a mystery. It's 3,890 km across and has 1.48 lunar masses. What makes this world peculiar is the confusing observations of its movements. It seems to orbit Loyoma at one moment and Halaxon XI the next. It's an orbit that doesn't make any sense at all.

Thane
Thane is a gas giant that orbits Halaxon XI at 28.3 AU in 137 Earth years. It's another massive planet at 163,537 km across and 1.60 Jupiter masses. The planet is a tanish color with light-brown bands. It has its own ring system.

Thane's Moons
Thane's moons are Calone, Galstorm, Sezena, Kapala, and Aurialis. Their respective distances are difficult to determine due to their dimness. They were found via the transit method as Thane passes in front of Halaxon XI. Data collected from the transit suggests that Galstorm has a thick atmosphere. It's also suggested that Calone has a magnetic field. Kapala and Aurialis are also known to be icy. One observation of Kapala suggests it has valuable metals beneath its icy surface, but the data has been questioned. Sezena, however is a mystery. Two more mysterious objects, called European Exodus II and EAE III, have been detected in orbit around Aurialis. Their properties are also classified.

The Eagle
The Eagle is another classified object orbiting Halaxon XI. Access to this object is forbidden, so no one known what it is.

EAE IV
EAE IV is another mysterious object that orbits Halaxon XI at 80.3 AU in 657 Earth years. Its properties are also, you guessed it, classified.

Halaxon XII
Halaxon XII is an orange dwarf star that orbits Halaxon XI at 949 AU in 22,043 Earth years. It is 1.15 million km across with half a solar mass. This star is quite younger than its larger companion, at only 1 billion years, but is expected to last a good few billion Earth years longer.

It too has its own system, though it is smaller and less complex than that of its companion.

Zabenta
Zabenta is Halaxon XII's habitable planet, orbiting on the outskirts of its parent star's habitable zone at 1.17 AU in 1.68 Earth years. The planet is 8,487 km across with 21% the Earth's mass. Zabenta is a cold planet where ice is all over the surface. Those who live there wear heavy coats for protection. It has far fewer inhabitants than Qearina, but it is still a profitable planet due to the abundance of resources in short supply on Qearina.

Laxus is Zabenta's only moon. Its semi-major-axis is 305,054 km, where it takes 42.3 Earth days to orbit. This 3,561 km object is only 35% as massive as Earth's moon, but it also has an abundance of resources making it just as profitable as its parent planet. Laxus has a violent history as countless battles have been fought there over control of its resources. As of now, the Qearinian Empire has control over Laxus and its parent planet.

Faeron
Faeron is the closest planet to the temperamental Halaxon XII. It orbits the star at only 8.94 million km in a mere 7.13 Earth days. It is 11,991 km across and has 82% Earth's mass. The planet's surface is coal-black with lakes and seas of lava on the day side. As it is tidally locked to its star, its day side is subject to an intense hammering from the star's radiation. With an average surface temperature of 943 degrees Celsius, Faeron is rarely visited.

Voroton
Voroton is a gas giant 12.3 AU from its parent star, Halaxon XII, and takes 57.6 Earth years to orbit. It is 122,301 km across and has 35% Jupiter's mass. Voroton is an orangish color with white and tan bands crossing it. Its ring system is very tightly compact with little or no deformations.

Vitalis is one of Voroton's moons, orbiting at 415,985 km away in 2.94 Earth days. It's 2,702 km across and has 42% the Moon's mass. Vitalis is a very tannish-grey moon with a single lavender purple maria on its far side. It's tidally locked to Voroton and has no magnetic field, so visits here are nothing if not brief.

Darunia is another moon that orbits Voroton. Its distance from Voroton has yet to be measured because of how difficult it is to spot, but it is 3,171 km across and has 0.76 lunar masses. Darunia is very dark in color with light seas of ice here and there. It's unusually cold, just over 5 K, so thermal imaging is hard to do on this moon. It was accidentally discovered during a visit to Voroton, which also led to the discovery of other moons. It doesn't seem to have an atmosphere, nor has a magnetic field been detected.

Yeka is the third moon of Voroton. Its orbital characteristics are also unavailable, but, unlike Darunia, Yeka's orbital characteristics are classified due to fear of illegal mining. The moon is 2,550 km across with a quarter of the Moon's mass. Yeka is similar in appearance to Darunia, but its dark and light features are larger and more pronounced. The moon has a vast amount of valuable minerals, which nearly led to illegal mining on the moon. It has no atmosphere nor magnetic field.

Gatran is the fourth, furthest, and smallest of Voroton's moons. It's 1,500 km across and has 0.025 lunar masses. Gatran is very geologically active for unknown reasons. It has a very strong magnetic field for a moon its size and a very thin, superheated atmosphere. It also rotated independently from Voroton due to its distance. No one has visited this moon.

Aemont is a fifth moon that was accidentally discovered on the same visit that found Darunia, and Gatran. This moon sits very close to Voroton, just 100 km from the rings, making it the Voroton's closest moon. The moon is only 2,705 km across with 20% the Moon's mass. Aemont is an ice moon that is tidally locked to Voroton. It has no atmosphere, but it does have a strong magnetic field, meaning life could exist beneath its icy crust.

Arkamedon
Arkamedon is a gas giant that orbits 26.1 AU from Halaxon XII in 178 Earth years. It is 53,310 km across and has 21.8 Earth masses. The planet is similar in appearance to Takhara, but its clouds cover far more of its blue gas than Takhara's. Arkamedon rotates very slowly, taking thousands of Earth years to complete a single rotation. It has 9 loosely bound rings that are tangled up with each other.

Aetoron is one of Arkamedon's moons. It orbits very close to the outermost ring. It's 3,530 km across and has 0.34 lunar masses. The dark grey moon is strangely featureless with no craters of mountains.

Zeltzer is one of Arkamedon's moons. Its size and mass are similar to that of Earth's Moon. The moon is dark grey, with bright streaks stretching across the surface. It has no atmosphere or magnetic field.

Komachi is one of Arkamedon's moons. It orbits quite far from Arkamedon. It's 1,125 km across and has 0.015 lunar masses. Komachi has a thick atmosphere with a dusty orange surface and fluffy white clouds.

Haelstrom is one of Arkamedon's moons. It orbits Arkamedon 277518 km away in 3.61 Earth days. It is 2,468 km across and has 92% the Moon's mass. Haelstrom's icy surface is an orangy color and appears to undergo tectonics. It has no atmosphere, but it has a weak magnetic field.

Porante is a small moon that orbits very far away from Arkamedon. It's only 918 km across and has a low mass. Porante's appearance is unknown as it has never been visited. A magnetic field has been detected around the moon, but the detection has yet to be validated.