Waayan

From The Pardusian Chronicles

Waayan is the fourth planet in the Waayan system. The first 3 planets in the system are volcanic midgets, and the last 2 planets are gas giants. The system also has 2 large asteroid belts.

Geography:

Waayan is a class M planet, and is largely agrarian. It has brackish oceans (which, due to a shortage of surface salts, are only 1.5% salt) and mild axial tilt. Both of these factors create a situation ideal for farming. There are only two major continents on Waayan (designated East and West by unimaginative surveyors, but known locally as Sun and Set). They account for 40% of the planet’s land mass, and the rest is distributed among three hundred different Gunto’s (island groups).

Economy:

Tourism accounts for much of the economy on the island groups, while large corporate farms are common on the mainlands. Tree plantations export the ultra-hard "Steelwood" and the primary food crops are Grains and Babepeas. Many tourists come to see the submerged city of T’Leth en Tet, which some believe was left by a now extinct starfaring race. It has been carbon-dated to a time over 2 million years before any recorded history. There is little in the way of heavy industry on the planet due to strict environmental laws. Most manufacturing is relegated to the asteroid belt and local starbases.

Population:

While the size of Waayan's population varies wildly, its composition remains largely unchanged. Currently, 68% of Waayan's citizens are Rashkir (descendants of the original settlers), 16% of them are Human, 12% are Ska'ari, and 3% are Keldon. The unknown 1% continues to baffle the census bureau.

Assorted Trivia:

Surfers from Waayan have won the last 3 galaxy wide competitions, and Waayan is currently competing with Skaara and Laedgre to host the next Pangalactic Summer Olympics. The gambling houses on the larger moon (Eimos) are renowned for having the loosest slots within 10 systems. Also, Waayan is one of the few planets to recognize civil unions between members of any species.

TRAVEL ADVISORY

The local Keldon community is heavily involved in smuggling and the enslavement industry. Incidents of Happy Tagging are up 422% in the Capital enclave known as Kedanatown.

Orbital Characteristics:

Perihelion 180,644,545 km / 1.207 AU

Aphelion 239,228,730 km / 1.598 AU

Revolution period 445.25 days

Avg. Orbital Speed 28.09 km/s

Max. Orbital Speed 29.69 km/s

Min. Orbital Speed 24.972 km/s

Inclination 5.65° to Sun's equator

Number of Satellites: 2: Hobos and Eimos (ancient Rashkir gods of Power and Deprivation respectively)

Physical Characteristics:

Equatorial diameter: 9073.2 km (0.711 Earths)

Polar diameter 9006.4 km (0.708 Earths)

Surface area 397852587.6 square km (0.78 Earths)

- land 134,076,322 km² (33.7 %)

- water 263,776,265 km² (66.3 %)

Equatorial gravity 7.59 m/s^2

Escape velocity 9.27 km/s

Axial tilt 22.19°

Albedo 0.28

Surface temp

- min: 175 k

- mean: 278 k

- max: 335 k

Genitive Waayian