This article or subsection has an associated category. | Centaurus IV |
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Alpha Centauri IV (commonly known as Velestus, Centaurus, Athens[1] or Al Rijil IV) is a planet, the fourth planet in the Alpha Centauri star system, orbiting the primary binary pair of stars, Rigil Kentaurus and Quindar in the galaxy's Beta Quadrant.
History and specifics[]
This world is a class M planet and is home to humanoid inhabitants, including a thriving Federation colony started by Human settlers and other Centauran cultures. (ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation; TOS novels: Crisis on Centaurus, Time for Yesterday)
Alpha Centauri IV's most distinguishing celestial feature is its series of rings. It has two small moons, Nykos and Tharon, which are home to mining colonies. The planet's atmosphere is an oxygen-nitrogen mix with pressure close to Earth normal. Seventy percent of the planet is covered with water. There are hundreds of small islands scattered across the surface. The average temperature is 26.6° C.
Widely varying solar radiation levels, tectonic stress and other problems beset the planet driving the Alpha Centaurans to develop terraforming technology early in their history. Their scientists believe that, over ten million years ago, a third moon orbiting the planet was ripped apart by tidal forces as it descended too close to the planet, producing a rare ring system around the inner planet. (Last Unicorn RPG module: Planets of the UFP)
In the 19th century, Alpha Centauri IV's Centauran inhabitants faced extinction due to experiments with bioweapons following a worldwide nuclear weapon ban. A retrovirus created with genetic engineering was accidentally released on the northern continent. Mutated strains eventually infected the entire planet. With millions of casualties, governments scrambled to try and find a cure and then place blame for the tragedy. This event is referred to as the Plague Years. By the year 1871, all other wars had ceased as the planet fought the disease. With deaths reaching 1 billion, a cure was found and the Emergency Medical Council became the dominant government and the discoverer of the vaccine, Doctor Kulei Asephas, became the de facto president, leading to a number of laws banning the bioresearch situations that led to the disaster. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Price of Freedom)
The population of Alpha Centauri IV in the early 2360s was around 3 billion people, plus a small human and Vulcan population. Many of the humans living on Alpha Centauri are descended from the first immigrants from Earth, dating all the way back to the 21st century. The capital city is Tarola'n, with features the famous Monument of Visions Art Museum.
Alpha Centauri is a major exporter of art and is a popular tourist destination. Their holographic art is highly collectable. Alpha Centauran artists are sought out to design specialized holodeck programs.
Two native species have become well known to Federation visitors. The kerra'vein are canine-like animals similar to huskies and the lala'vel, a small winged creature that closely resembles the Terran bat. (Last Unicorn RPG module: Planets of the UFP)
- Recent novels state that Alpha Centauri was uninhabited by a native species, and that it was primarily a human colony. Most current Star Trek novels use this premise. Star Charts reveals that the human colony of Alpha Centauri was a founding member of the Federation in 2161. Early mentions of the Centauran civilization in ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation revealed they were thought to have been transplanted from Earth by the Preservers. The fact of their Human origin could be used to rationalize the fact that later sources treat the system as a Human colony.
Locations[]
- Continents
- Ash'ayn • Avara • Bastal • Farain • Great Oreas • Kesta'al • Knu'fyr • Naroth • New America • New Asia • New Europe • Nyria • Shalaven • Tedimah'k
- Bodies of water
- B'etha'ein Sea • Farragut River • Ral'einn Sea • Shima'ran Sea • Varan Sea • Varath Sea
- Landmarks
- Columns of Ineti • Mount Fera'an • Leroth Islands • Nyrian Pyramids • Garrovick Valley
- Cities and settlements
- Aquinasville • Dora'an • Torus • Tarala'n • McIverton • Narva • Ku'ltan • Shadra • Lamenk • Caladia • Vehaxein • Gorek • New Athens • Second Try • Gregory's Landing • Chandrik
Appendices[]
Connections[]
Stars, systems and objects of the Centaurus constellation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 Centauri • Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kentaurus • Quindar • Proxima) • Beta Centauri • Tau Centauri • Theta Centauri • Zeta Centauri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alpha Centauri sector | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alpha Centauri system | Alpha Centauri A (primary) • Alpha Centauri I • II. Behemoth (Alpha Centauri II-A) • Alpha Centauri III (1 moon) • IV. Centaurus (2 moons) • Alpha Centauri V (2 moons) • Alpha Centauri VI (8 moons) • VII. Al Rijil • Alpha Centauri VIII • Alpha Centauri IX • Alpha Centauri X • Alpha Centauri XI • Alpha Centauri XII • Alpha Centauri XIII • Toralon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alpha Centauri B • Olson • II. New Montana • Perry • III. Lang • IV. Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Proxima Centauri • Proxima Centauri (Proxima Maintenance Yards) • Proxima Centauri I (Proxima Centauri I-A) • Proxima Centauri II • Proxima Alpha • Proxima Beta |
Template:Centauran worlds
References[]
- ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation
- TOS novel: Crisis on Centaurus
- TOS novel: Time for Yesterday
- Last Unicorn RPG module: Planets of the UFP
- Last Unicorn RPG module: The Price of Freedom
- ST reference: Star Charts
- ↑ TNG video game: Future's Past ingame library entry The United Federation of Planets, Founders "In 2161 five founding planetary governments signed the Articles of Federation. The five planets represented were Sol III (Terra), 40 Eridani 42 (Vulcan), Epsilon Indi VII (Andor), 61 Cygni 5 (Tellar) and Alpha Centauri IV (Athens)."