ASTRONOMICAL SETTING

Introduction

This document deals with the astronomical setting of Torwelt. We begin with a brief description of the Wolkenspur galaxy, followed by a discussion of the star, Quell, and the greater Quell System. We conclude with a brief survey of the Quell System’s immediate stellar neighbourhood.

The information in this document was not a part of the original alien transmission captured during the 2235 survey. We present here original research and findings which will provide the vital context needed to understand the Caelum Transmission in its totality.

All departments involved in the creation of this corpus affirm its veracity.

WolkenSpur

Fig 1: The Wolkenspur Galaxy. Grid centred on the Quell System and galactic habitable zone shown (green).
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

The galaxy Wolkenspur, catalogued as UGC 2559082, is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Caelum. It is a non-barred, dual-armed spiral galaxy, measuring about 30,000 light-years in radius (about 60% the size of the Milky Way). The Caelum Transmission aside, it is by all accounts a rather unremarkable galaxy.

  • SAa ~ SAb

  • ~6 x 10¹¹ Msol

  • ~30,000 light-years

  • ~14,100 - 18,000 light-years (from core)

Table 1: Galactic Characteristics

The Quell System

Fig 2: The Quell System. Orbits shown are to scale.
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

Fig 3: Quell System to scale size comparison. Left to right: Motte, Torwelt, Himmelmeer, Kapitän
Credit: Vanga-Vangog, Jay Choken

The Quell System is a single-star planetary system consisting of the star Quell and the objects that orbit it. The system lies in the galactic habitable zone of the galaxy Wolkenspur, about 16,000 light-years from the core. Quell is orbited by four planets (Motte, Torwelt, Himmelmeer, Kapitän), two dwarf planets (TBT, TBT) and an asteroid belt.

The Quell System appears to be the closest system to the home system of the observer aliens.

  • 4.08 billion years

  • 1.22078 Msol

  • 1 Star

    • Quell

    4 Major Planets

    • Motte (0.6 AU)

    • Torwelt (1.69 AU)

    • Himmelmeer (9.32 AU)

    • Kapitän (18.04 AU)

    2 Dwarf Planets

    • TBT (4.96 AU)

    • TBT (23.64 AU)

    Debris Disks

    • Asteroid Belt (4.48 - 5.87 AU)

    • Kupier Belt (23.64 - 28.64 AU)

  • 1.421 - 2.046 AU

  • 7.226 AU

  • 16,000 light-years

  • 292.097 million (Earth) years

  • 103.240 km/s

Table 2: Quell System Characteristics

Quell

Fig 4: Quell

Quell is a F-type main sequence star. It is the brightest stellar mass object in its immediate neighbourhood. When viewed from the surface of Torwelt, is approximately as bright as the sun when viewed from Earth, despite Torwelt orbiting 50% further out. Quell is more massive than the sun and as a result its peak output is shifted slightly into the blue wavelengths of light. This, in part, gives the Echte Pflanzen (true plants) on Torwelt their distinctive blue-green/teal colour.

  • F5.5V

  • 1.120 Rsol
    780,132 km

  • 0.727 Dsol (as seen from Torwelt)
    0.35º

  • 1.2206 Msol
    2.43 × 10³⁰ kg

  • 2.220 Lsl
    8.497 × 10²⁶ W

  • -26.69 (apparent (as seen from Torwelt))
    +3.94 (absolute)

  • 6661 K

  • 1.421 - 2.046 AU

  • 0.868 ρsol
    1.22 g/cm³

  • 4.2 billion (Earth) years

Table 3: Quell Physical & Orbital Characteristics

The Inner System - Motte & Torwelt

Fig 5: Motte (left) & Torwelt (right)
Credit: Vanga-Vangog, Jay Choken

The Quell System can be divided into two regions: an inner region and an outer region. The inner Quell System is the domain of the terrestrial planets. Two major rocky planets orbit in the inner system: Motte and Torwelt.

Motte is a small, lifeless mercury analog orbiting close to Quell at a distance of 0.6 AU. Despite its diminutive size and lack of an atmosphere, it can clearly be seen from the surface of Torwelt, though only at twilight.

Torwelt, a super-Earth, orbits beyond Motte at a distance of 1.54 AU. This falls within the habitable zone of the Quell System, making Torwelt the only planet in the system capable of harbouring life. In addition to local flora and fauna, Torwelt is also home to the first and only extrasolar human colony. According to the alien observers, the arrival of humans on Torwelt, some 2000 Earth years ago, coincided with the alleged awakening of the megastructure we call Tor. However, no direct data exists (alien or otherwise) to definitively say how humans of antiquity were transported from Earth to Torwelt.

Our models of the Quell System predict the existence of an additional inner system planet beyond Torwelt at a distance of ~2.78 AU. No such object appears to exist.

Between 4.48 and 5.87 AU, we find an asteroid belt and the dwarf planet TBT, which appears to be in mean motion resonance with the gas giant Kapitän.

Beyond the asteroid belt, we use the frost line at 7.23 AU to delineate the inner and outer system regions.

Fig 6: Motte
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

  • 1st planet from Quell

  • 0.029 M_Earth
    1.73 × 10²³ kg

  • 0.998 ρ_Earth
    5.50 g/cm³

  • 0.309 R_Earth
    1968.64 km

  • 0.308 g
    3.02 m/s²

  • 0.6 AU

  • 0.09

  • 0.654 AU

  • 0.546 AU

  • 0.421 Earth Years

Table 4: Motte Physical & Orbital Characteristics

Fig 7: Torwelt
Credit: Jay Choken

Main Document: Torwelt

The Outer System - Kapitän & Himmelmeer

Fig 8: Kapitän (left) & Himmelmeer (right)
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

The outer system, beyond the frost line, is the domain of the large, gaseous worlds. Two major gaseous planets orbit in this region: Kapitän and Himmelmeer. Kapitän is the largest planet in the Quell System, while Himmelmeer is intermediate in size between Torwelt and Kapitän. Both worlds are orbited by multiple moons, have tenuous ring systems, and can both be seen from the surface of Torwelt. Though in order to view Himmelmeer with the naked eye conditions need to be optimal.

Beyond Himmelmeer lies the debris disk analogous to our Kupier Belt. It’s inner perimeter, at 23.64 AU, is controlled and maintained by dwarf planet TBT.

Fig 9: Kapitän
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

  • 3rd planet from Quell

  • 375.515 M_Earth
    1.182 M_Jupiter
    2.24 x 10²⁷ kg

  • 0.223 ρ_Earth
    1.23 g/cm³

  • 11.983 R_Earth
    75770.30 km

  • 2.655 g
    26.02 m/s²

  • 9.32 AU

  • 0.06

  • 9.879 AU

  • 8.761 AU

  • 25.754 Earth Years

Table 5: Kapitän Physical & Orbital Characteristics

Fig 10: Himmelmeer
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

  • 4th planet from Quell

  • 2.578 M_Earth
    1.54 x 10²⁵kg

  • 0.254 ρ_Earth
    1.40 gm/cm³

  • 2.165 R_Earth
    13793.22 km

  • 0.55 g
    5.39 m/s²

  • 18.04 AU

  • 0.04

  • 18.762 AU

  • 17.318 AU

  • 69.353 Earth Years

Table 6: Himmelmeer Physical & Orbital Characteristics

The Stellar Neighbourhood

Fig 11: The Stellar Neighbourhood centred on the Quell System
Credit: Vanga-Vangog

The Quell System stellar neighbourhood is comprised of all stellar (and sub-stellar) systems with a 12 light-year radius of the Quell System. Of the 25 systems that make up the stellar neighbourhood, 15 contain at lest one star, the remaining 10 are made up brown/white dwarfs. Quell is noteworthy in that it is the only F star in its neighbourhood. Other systems of interest include the highly unusual quadruple star system, S10, and the binary star system, S05. We believe, based on signal triangulation, that the Caelum Transmission originated from the latter.

Therefore, we conclude that there is an alien presence on S05. We also note that no other system shows signs of alien occupation. So either S05 is an outpost system and the alien originate from further afield or the alien observers are not an interstellar species. If the former, they may well be significantly more technological advanced than us. If the latter, perhaps there is parity between us and them.

  • 12 light-years (radius)
    7,238 light-years³ (volume)

  • Inter-arm, ~16,000 light-years (from galactic core)

  • 41 stellar mass objects:
    1 FV star (Torwelt)
    2 GV stars
    3 KV stars
    20 MV stars
    2 white dwarfs
    12 brown dwarfs

  • 25 star systems:
    13 single (inc. Quell System)
    9 Binary
    2 Triple
    1 Quadruple

Table 7: Stellar Neighbourhood Characteristics

Name Coordinates (ly) (x,y,z) Type Constituents Distance to Quell System
Quell System 0,0,0 Single F5.5V NA
S01 9.62, 3.53, -5.51 Binary MV - D (White Dwarf) 11.64 ly
S02 -1.36, -4.12, 6.69 Binary L (Brown Dwarf) - L (Brown Dwarf) 7.98 ly
S03 4.06, 3.76, -3.24 Single L (Brown Dwarf) 6.42 ly
S04 3.35, -3.13, 0.68 Single MV 4.63 ly
S05 -0.31, 0.22, 1.4 Binary GV - KV 1.45 ly
(Observer system)
S06 6.61, -3.71, -1.91 Single L (Brown Dwarf) 7.81 ly
S07 -5.01, 0.55, -1.84 Binary MV - MV 5.36 ly
S08 6.42, 0.33, -0.16 Binary MV - MV 6.43 ly
S09 4.35, -1.03, 5.02 Single KV 6.72 ly
S10 -1.42, 8.34, 1.95 Quad MV - MV - MV - MV 8.68 ly
S11 1.86, -3.91, 0.36 Single MV 4.35 ly
S12 -10, 4.28, -0.34 Binary MV - MV 10.88 ly
S13 -4.21, -7.32, -3.97 Single T (Brown Dwarf) 9.33 ly
S14 7.68, -3.51, -8.28 Binary D (White Dwarf) - D (White Dwarf) 11.82 ly
(Furthest system)
S15 3.85, 2.81, -2.15 Single Y (Brown Dwarf) 5.23 ly
S16 3.46, 3.77, 5.51 Triple KV - MV - MV 7.52 ly
S17 6.82, -0.11, -4.28 Binary MV - L (Brown Dwarf) 8.05 ly
S18 -5.06, 1.34, -9.61 Single L (Brown Dwarf) 10.94 ly
S19 6.09, 6.14, 0.34 Single T (Brown Dwarf) 8.66 ly
S20 2.7, -5.57, -6.28 Triple MV - MV - L (Brown Dwarf) 8.82 ly
S21 5.56, -0.26, 1.99 Single L (Brown Dwarf) 5.91 ly
S22 -4.83, -3.97, 0.79 Single GV 6.30 ly
S23 -3.41, -2.49, -4.76 Single L (Brown Dwarf) 6.37 ly
S24 -5.79, 4.03, 2.21 Binary MV - MV 7.40 ly

Table 8: Detailed Survey of Stellar Neighbourhood