TRAPPIST-1 System
The TRAPPIST-1 System (bearing the name of the ancient TRAnsiting Planets and PlanestIsimals Small Telescope), also colloquially known as the Trappist System, is a star system located 39.6 light-years from the Solar System, 31.14 ly from Tranquility, and 47.73 ly from Zhu Que within the constellation Aquarius.
Star[edit | edit source]
TRAPPIST-1 has a luminosity of 0.05% of the Sun, with a brightness very near infrared, a radius of approx. 0.121 R☉ (84,179.7 km), and a mass 84 times greater than Jupiter. While visually close to a brown dwarf, TRAPPIST-1 does barely undergo nuclear fusion, classifying it ultra-cool red dwarf. The star's propensity to experience starspots and solar flares is also relatively low, occuring at a rate of 0.38 per day, ~30 times less than other dwarfs of its type.
Planets[edit | edit source]
TRAPPIST-1 is host to seven close-orbiting planets with Earth-masses between 1.15 and 0.33, all of which are - due to their closeness to their parent star - tidally locked and devoid of moons.
- Jahannama (TRAPPIST-1b) - Extremely thick and hot atmosphere of a scale height of 52 km dominated by C02, with its cloudy orange-red colour given primarily from iron oxide-rich dust. Consumed by a runaway greenhouse effect even more extreme than Venus's, with an equilibrium temperature between 477 and 1,230 °C, making it immensely inhospitable to both life and even conventional probes. Claimed as a department by the Qafi Federation. It has a mass of 1.017 M⊕.
- Akash (TRAPPIST-1c) - A more conventionally Venus-like planet with an equilibrium temperature of 61.7 °C and an atmosphere dominated by C02 with trace amounts of sulfur dioxide, giving it a yellow colour. Claimed as a department by the Qafi Federation and marginally settled. It has a mass of 1.156 M⊕.
- Cariocecus (TRAPPIST-1d) - A rocky planet with an atmosphere dominated by CO2 and water vapour settled by pre-ALIAS Martians. Approximately 5% of its mass is water, which covers a large majority of its surface, earning it the title of TRAPPIST-1's "ocean world". The low albedo of its surface water, which is kept in a liquid state due to tidal heating and geothermal activity, has encouraged the formation of a runaway greenhouse effect that, while not Venus-like in temperature (with a relatively pleasant average surface temperature of around 9°C), allows the trapping of enough ultraviolet radiation. It has a Mars-like mass of 0.297 M⊕
- Qaf (TRAPPIST-1e) - A rocky, water-rich planet with a boosted atmosphere of natural oxygen, nitrogen and CO2 settled by a wide number of Earther minorities through an IGSA climate disaster relocation program, with a large majority hailing from the rapidly-flooding Bangladesh. Its Earth-like albedo of 0.3 helps give it an equilibrium temperature of −48 °C. With its oxygenated atmosphere, abundant water and comfortable surface gravity (owed to its Earth-mass of 0.772) Qaf is regarded as the most habitable planet in the system but remains the most unstable politically.
- Miyabi (TRAPPIST-1f) - Rocky, icy, water-rich planet bought by Tranquilan financiers in the thirty-sixth century. Equilibrium temperature of −54 °C. Mass of 0.934 M⊕.
- Purity (TRAPPIST-1g) - Brittle water-ice crust with a subsurface layer of warm convecting ice. Bought by Tranquilans in the thirty-sixth century. Equilibrium temperature of −78.65 °C. Mass of 1.148 M⊕
- Tezuka (TRAPPIST-1h) - Cold, rocky planet, settled by pre-ALIAS martians for ice mining. Equilibrium temperature of −103.95 °C. Mass of 0.331 M⊕.
While b and c orbit within their Star's habitable zone, their atmospheres make them difficult targets for colonisation efforts. The seven planets' closeness to one-another and their near-circular orbits create enough tidal heating to have a significant influence on their surface temperatures, raising the habitability of the planets beyond TRAPPIST-1's Goldilocks zone, particularly for e and f, while causing the formation of magma oceans in the mantles of b and c.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
All photos are brightened due to TRAPPIST-1's low luminosity.
