Cosmology & Day Cycles

Cosmology 101

  Canonically, the planet is identical to Earth in its day/night cycle, orbit, seasons, etc. Everything below this section is designed as brainstorming, and is not implemented.  

The Planet

The planet is roughly 40,075 km in circumfrence. The North Pole is always precisely facing the star in which it orbits, marking the Celestial North Pole. This star is approximately 150,000,000 km from the planet, and has an apparent size of 1.66°, the same as the moon which is 119,955 km away. This moon does not orbit the planet, but stays stationary in the sky above the North Pole. In other words, it is in the right size & location for it to plunge the planet from 80° latitude and upwards into perpetual night. As you travel south from here, the sun gradually appears over the moon. This gives way to Astronomical Twilight at 80° - 74° latitude, Nautical Twilight at 74° - 68° latitude, and Civil Twilight at 68° - 62° latitude. Below this point, the sun becomes completely visible, and a day/night cycle emerges as the planet rotates counter-clockwise on its equator. The only point in which the planet's 24hr cycle is split between day & night is at the equator. Below the equator, marking the Southern Hemisphere, is always nighttime.

Day/Night Cycle Breakdown

90° - 80° Latitude: Nighttime 80° - 74° Latitude: Astronomical Twilight 74° - 68° Latitude: Nautical Twilight 68° - 62° Latitude: Civil Twilight 62° - 00° Latitude: Day/Night Cycles Begin 60° Day/Night: 6/18 50° Day/Night: 7/17 40° Day/Night: 8/16 30° Day/Night: 9/15 20° Day/Night: 10/14 10° Day/Night: 11/13 00° Day/Night: 12/12