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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