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Planetary Profile: Duskara

Host Star

  • Name: HD Xanthea (colloquial: “Xanthea’s Star”)
  • Spectral Type: K3–K4 main-sequence star
  • Mass: ~0.8 Solar masses
  • Luminosity: ~0.3–0.4 Solar luminosities
  • Estimated Age: ~4–5 billion years
  • Habitable Zone: Relatively close-in orbits, suitable for tidally locked planets if atmospheric and geothermal conditions allow

Orbital & Planetary Characteristics

  • Planet Name: Duskara
  • Orbital Distance: ~0.15 AU from HD Xanthea (varies slightly with eccentricity)
  • Orbital Period: ~30–35 Earth days (synchronous rotation leads to tidal locking)
  • Rotation: Tidally locked (one hemisphere faces the star constantly)
  • Axial Tilt: Minimal (≤ 1°), little to no seasonal variation

Physical Properties

  • Diameter: ~1.00–1.05 × Earth’s diameter
  • Mass: ~1.00–1.10 × Earth’s mass
  • Surface Gravity: ~0.95–1.05 g (near Earth-normal)
  • Escape Velocity: Similar to Earth’s (slightly higher or lower depending on precise mass/radius)

Day–Night Temperature Extremes

  • Day Side:
    • Surface Temperatures: ~350–450°C (subject to local conditions)
    • Brutal solar flux, extreme UV and particle radiation
    • Frequent dust storms in transition zone
    • Minimal or no standing water at the surface
  • Night Side:
    • Surface Temperatures: ~−100 to −150°C (variable by region)
    • Permanently dark or in deep twilight from scattered auroras
    • Glacial ice sheets, occasional geothermal vents or volcanic hotspots
    • Some pockets of life in subterranean areas warmed by geothermal heat

Twilight Belt

  • Width: ~200–300 km band encircling the planet
  • Temperature Range: Generally −5°C to +40°C, depending on proximity to day or night side
  • Atmospheric Dynamics:
    • Strong, persistent winds due to stark temperature gradient
    • Frequent superstorms where hot and cold air masses meet
  • Habitable Zone: Nearly all surface settlements and farmland lie here; major cities form linear chains along temperate corridors

Atmosphere

  • Composition (approx.):
    • ~76–78% Nitrogen (N₂)
    • ~20–22% Oxygen (O₂)
    • ~1–3% Argon / other inert gases
    • Trace amounts of CO₂, H₂O vapor, and exotic molecules
  • Surface Pressure: ~0.9–1.1 bar (near sea-level Earth equivalent)
  • Radiation & Weather:
    • Enhanced stellar radiation on the day side; partial protection via thick atmosphere
    • Robust wind circulation redistributing heat and moisture from day to twilight regions

Water & Geological Features

  • Primary Water Reservoirs:
    • Subterranean aquifers, glacial deposits on the night side
    • Collection of atmospheric moisture in twilight and day-night transition storms
  • Surface Water:
    • Present mainly in the form of rivers or small seas in the deeper parts of the twilight belt
    • Lake- or river-like bodies fed by precipitation and geothermal springs
  • Geology:
    • Tectonically active regions produce geothermal vents, crucial for night-side warmth
    • Abundant mineral deposits in dayward highlands, mined by robotic systems

Ecology & Life

  • Native Flora & Fauna:
    • Adapted to low light, high winds, or subterranean niches
    • Some species show bioluminescence or specialized thermal regulation
    • Deep-cave ecosystems rely heavily on geothermal/chemosynthetic processes
  • Human Settlements:
    • Concentrated in twilight belt, forming linear “wind-hardened” cities
    • Cave-dwelling communities near geothermal vents on night side
    • Careful agriculture (vertical farming, hydroponics) in stable twilight microclimates

Key World Constraints

  • Tidal Locking → Eternal day side and perpetual night side
  • Severe Wind Patterns → Massive storms at the day-night interface
  • Resource Scarcity → Especially water, making conservation paramount
  • Radiation → Day-side flux drives genetic and potential psychic adaptations
  • Geothermal Relief → Vital for warming settlements in night-side caverns