Awei

Awei, also known as Thilt XII, is a dwarf planet and the furthest in the Thilt System within the Orion Arm of the Milkyway Galaxy. Awei has no atmosphere and is seen as extremely cold. Though, uninhabitable, the Caniic Hierarchy has establisted several mining domes for the rich plethra of metal ore that is there.

Awei’s orbit around Thilt-A and Thilt-B is shaped by the gravitational pull of both stars, creating a slightly elongated elliptical path with an eccentricity of 0.0467. This means that while its distance from the stars does vary, the change is not drastic compared to more eccentric orbits found elsewhere in the Thilt System. At perihelion (its closest approach to the stars), Awei comes within 8.480 AU (1.269 billion km), while at aphelion (its farthest point), it reaches 9.312 AU (1.392 billion km). The semi-major axis of 8.896 AU keeps it well beyond the system's habitable zone, placing it in a region dominated by icy bodies and scattered remnants from the system’s early formation.   Awei completes one full orbit in 3,150 days (8.6 Earth years), moving at an average speed of 4.7 km/s. However, due to Kepler’s laws of motion, its velocity is not constant; it moves slightly faster near perihelion and slows down as it approaches aphelion. The inclination of 8.1° relative to the equatorial plane of Thilt-A and Thilt-B suggests that Awei did not form in its current position but may have been influenced by past gravitational interactions. Its long-distance orbit also means that the intensity of sunlight it receives is very weak—nearly 1,300 times less than what Earth experiences. This lack of solar input results in Awei’s frigid temperatures and prevents significant surface changes. The combination of a thin atmosphere and slow thermal conduction in its icy crust allows surface heat to dissipate rapidly, keeping most of the planet in a permanent deep freeze.   The presence of Awei’s five moons adds further complexity to its orbital behavior. These moons exert small gravitational influences that create minor oscillations, though they do not significantly alter the planet’s long-term trajectory. Over millions of years, these interactions could lead to slight shifts in Awei’s orbital parameters, potentially altering its inclination or eccentricity. However, in the short term, its orbit remains stable, ensuring that it continues its slow journey through the outer reaches of the Thilt System.

Awei rotates on its axis once every 24.86 hours, making its day-night cycle only slightly longer than an Earth day. Despite this similarity, the experience of time on Awei is drastically different due to its extreme distance from Thilt-A and Thilt-B. Sunlight is incredibly dim, casting long, weak shadows even at local noon, and the lack of an atmosphere means there is no diffusion of light—resulting in a stark, high-contrast environment where illuminated surfaces are almost blinding while shaded regions remain pitch-black. The planet's axial tilt of 19.5° means that it does experience seasons, but without an atmosphere to circulate heat, temperature differences between summer and winter are largely negligible. The slow, steady rotation of Awei has allowed its surface features to remain relatively undisturbed over time, as there are no significant atmospheric or geological processes to erode craters, ridges, or ice formations. However, the presence of five moons does create some minor gravitational influences, leading to small librations in Awei’s rotation. These effects cause minute variations in the length of a day over long periods, but they are barely perceptible without precise instruments. Due to the planet’s small size and slow rotation speed, centrifugal forces are weak, resulting in only a slight equatorial bulge.   Unlike larger planets with molten interiors, Awei is mostly solid, lacking a liquid core that would generate a significant planetary magnetic field. This absence leaves its surface directly exposed to cosmic radiation and solar wind, which slowly strips away any volatile compounds that briefly accumulate. Over billions of years, this has contributed to its extremely thin atmosphere and frozen surface. Additionally, the rotation speed at the equator is 52.4 meters per second, meaning that an object on the surface would be moving at only 0.18% of Earth's rotational speed, which is relatively slow. Because of this, there is little to no observable Coriolis effect, and if Awei had an atmosphere, it would lack the large-scale weather patterns seen on Earth-like planets. The difference between Awei’s sidereal and synodic rotation periods is minimal, meaning that the planet does not experience drastic shifts in the way its stars appear in the sky. However, due to its binary star system, Awei’s twin suns create complex light cycles. Depending on the position in its orbit, Thilt-A and Thilt-B may rise and set at different times, sometimes appearing as two distant, faint suns, or aligning in a way that causes prolonged periods of dim twilight. These light variations, however, have little impact on the planet itself since there is no atmosphere to scatter light or sustain biological processes that would be sensitive to such changes.   The long rotation period and lack of an atmosphere also mean that the surface cools rapidly during the night, with no insulating effect to retain heat. Areas facing the sun can reach temperatures near -192.3°C (-314.14°F) at their peak, while shadowed regions plunge to -250.6°C (-419.08°F) or lower. This temperature disparity is extreme enough that materials in mining stations must be specially designed to withstand thermal contraction and expansion over each rotation. The Caniic mining domes compensate for these fluctuations using internal heat regulation systems to maintain stable conditions for workers and automated machinery. Despite its slow rotation, Awei remains geologically static. Unlike planets with active plate tectonics or volcanic activity, Awei’s surface has been largely unchanged for millions of years, apart from occasional meteorite impacts. Over time, the planet's slow but stable spin ensures that the distribution of ice and rock remains uniform across its surface, with no significant geological shifts caused by rotational forces. The lack of an atmosphere also means that rotation does not influence any wind-driven erosion, preserving the planet's ancient, cratered surface in near-pristine condition.

Awei’s geography is defined by its frozen, cratered landscape, which has remained largely unchanged for millions of years due to the absence of tectonic activity or atmospheric erosion. The surface consists primarily of a mix of silicate rock and frozen volatiles, with large deposits of water-ice, ammonia, and methane embedded within its crust. Impact craters dominate the terrain, ranging from small pits only a few meters wide to massive basins stretching hundreds of kilometers across. The most prominent of these, Kelfar Crater, spans nearly 400 km and is surrounded by jagged ridges and fractured plains, suggesting that the impact which created it may have partially melted the subsurface ice before refreezing. Between the craters, Awei features a variety of geological formations, including deep fissures, rugged plateaus, and rolling ice-covered plains. Some of these fissures extend for hundreds of kilometers, likely formed by the gradual contraction of the planet’s crust as it cooled over time. Certain regions contain scattered dark deposits, which are believed to be remnants of past cryovolcanic activity. These formations indicate that, in the distant past, Awei may have experienced periodic eruptions of liquid ammonia or methane from its interior, only for the material to freeze almost instantly upon reaching the surface.   Mining operations are concentrated in regions rich in metal ores, particularly near fault lines and impact basins where materials from deeper within the crust have been exposed. The largest of these mining complexes, Outpost Rhetak, is situated along the edge of a large frozen plateau and is heavily shielded from the harsh environment. The extraction process involves drilling through thick ice layers to reach the mineral-rich bedrock, with robotic systems handling most of the work due to the extreme cold. Conveyor systems transport extracted materials to processing hubs located within pressurized domes, where metals are refined and prepared for off-world transport. Despite its barren appearance, Awei’s geography is a testament to the planet’s ancient past, where occasional bursts of geological activity may have once shaped its frozen wastelands. Today, its surface remains a silent, unchanging world, disturbed only by meteorite impacts and the slow, methodical work of mining operations.

Awei is classified as a dwarf planet due to its relatively small mass of 1.59 × 10²² kg. Despite its modest size, Awei is one of the more massive dwarf planets in the Thilt System, allowing it to maintain a nearly spherical shape under the influence of its own gravity. Its diameter measures 2,460 km, making it comparable in size to some of the larger moons found in the system. Its mean radius of 1,230 km suggests a relatively uniform internal structure, though variations in density indicate that its composition is not entirely homogeneous.   Awei’s mean density of 2.1 g/cm³ implies a composition that is a mixture of rocky material and a significant amount of water ice, similar to other dwarf planets found in cold, distant regions. Its surface gravity of 0.89 m/s² is much weaker than that of larger planets, meaning a person or object would weigh roughly 9% of their 1g weight on Awei. This low gravity has also influenced the distribution of loose material on its surface, preventing the accumulation of fine dust in the way it occurs on larger bodies with stronger gravity. With a volume of 3.91 × 10⁹ km³, Awei is roughly 0.3% of Earth's volume, reinforcing its small planetary status. Its shape is slightly oblate due to rotational forces, with a minor bulge along its equator. This equatorial bulge is minimal, with a difference of less than 1 km between the equatorial and polar radii, reflecting its relatively slow rotation speed. Over long periods, surface features such as craters and ridges have settled into a stable configuration due to this balance between gravity and rotational forces.   Awei’s escape velocity of 2.13 km/s is relatively low, meaning that any significant atmospheric formation would be short-lived as gases would escape into space. This also affects its ability to retain impact ejecta from meteorite collisions, as much of the debris from such events eventually disperses into orbit or beyond. Its moment of inertia factor of 0.34 suggests that its internal mass distribution is somewhat differentiated, with denser material concentrated slightly toward the core. Due to its lack of internal heating, Awei has remained geologically inactive for billions of years, with no evidence of plate tectonics or significant cryovolcanism in recent history. The rigid outer shell of the dwarf planet consists of a crust primarily made of silicate rock and water ice, with some subsurface layers containing traces of ammonia and methane. This frozen composition makes Awei more similar to the icy bodies of deep space rather than the terrestrial planets closer to the system’s center.

Awei’s atmosphere is virtually nonexistent, with a surface pressure of only 0.0000059 kPa, which is nearly a vacuum. Any trace gases present are temporary and originate from surface interactions rather than a stable atmospheric system. Small amounts of nitrogen and argon have been detected in localized areas, likely released from the subsurface due to sporadic sublimation events or minor cryovolcanic activity in the distant past. However, these gases rapidly escape into space due to Awei’s weak gravitational pull, preventing any significant accumulation. Because of the absence of an atmosphere, Awei experiences some of the most extreme temperature variations in the Thilt System. With no insulating layer to trap heat, the surface cools rapidly once it enters the long night phase of its slow rotation. In direct sunlight, temperatures can reach -192.3°C (-314.14°F), while in darkness, they plummet to -250.6°C (-419.08°F). The rapid temperature shifts also contribute to the cracking of surface ice, forming deep fissures over time.   The lack of an atmospheric shield leaves Awei vulnerable to cosmic radiation and solar wind, which steadily erode the surface ice, albeit at a very slow rate. This exposure also means that impacts from micrometeoroids occur without resistance, adding to the already cratered and rugged terrain. Unlike planets with atmospheres that experience wind-driven erosion, Awei’s landscape remains largely unchanged aside from gradual space weathering and mining activities. Despite its barren nature, the icy surface does show signs of past volatile activity, with certain areas containing deposits of frozen methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. These substances are trapped beneath layers of rock-hard ice and remain stable under the current conditions. However, occasional shifts in surface pressure—caused by slight variations in solar heating—may trigger brief sublimation, momentarily releasing small clouds of gas before they dissipate into space.   Mining operations by the Caniic Hierarchy have revealed regions where buried volatiles exist in greater concentrations, leading to discussions about whether deep-core extraction could release more trapped gases. However, due to the low gravity and the planet's inability to retain an atmosphere, any release would be short-lived, dispersing into the void almost immediately. This ensures that Awei will likely remain an airless, frozen world for the foreseeable future.

Awei’s five moons vary in size, composition, and orbital characteristics, making them a unique collection of natural satellites within the Thilt System. The largest, Drelka, at approximately 310 km in diameter, is heavily cratered and composed primarily of rock and frozen nitrogen. It has a reddish hue due to the presence of tholins—complex organic molecules formed by radiation exposure over millions of years. Drelka’s orbit is slightly inclined relative to Awei’s equatorial plane, suggesting that it may have been captured rather than forming alongside the dwarf planet. Due to its size and mass, Drelka exerts a weak but measurable tidal influence on Awei’s surface, though the effects are subtle given the lack of liquid or semi-molten material in Awei’s crust.   The second-largest moon, Phesor, is around 220 km in diameter and is the brightest of the five, with a surface composed mostly of water ice and silicates. It reflects a significant amount of the limited sunlight that reaches the system, making it one of the more visible objects in Awei’s vicinity. Phesor has an elliptical orbit, with slight variations in speed as it moves closer and farther from Awei in its 11-day orbital period. This moon is thought to have formed from a past collision between Awei and another large body, with fragmented material eventually coalescing into its current form. Unlike Drelka, Phesor lacks significant surface color variations, indicating a relatively uniform composition. Ombek and Talur are smaller and more irregularly shaped, each measuring around 110 km and 85 km across, respectively. Both have erratic orbits, suggesting that their interactions with the larger moons have altered their paths over time. Ombek appears to have a surface rich in frozen carbon dioxide, hinting at a possible origin in the outer Thilt System before being captured by Awei’s weak gravity. Talur, on the other hand, is the least dense of Awei’s moons, likely made up of porous ice and rock fragments that failed to fully consolidate into a solid body. These two moons occasionally experience minor gravitational perturbations from Phesor and Drelka, leading to small but measurable shifts in their orbital paths over the centuries.   The smallest moon, Xippa, is barely 42 km in diameter and orbits Awei at a close distance, completing a full revolution in just over 2.1 days. Xippa is believed to be a captured asteroid, as its composition differs significantly from the other moons. It has a dark, carbonaceous surface, making it difficult to detect except when backlit by Thilt-A and Thilt-B. Because of its low mass and weak gravity, Xippa has an irregular shape, resembling a fragmented rock rather than a spherical moon. Observations suggest that it might be slowly spiraling inward due to tidal interactions with Awei, meaning that in the distant future, it could either crash into the dwarf planet or be torn apart by gravitational forces, forming a temporary debris ring. Despite their small sizes, Awei’s moons play an essential role in shaping the dwarf planet’s environment. The gravitational interactions among them create slight but continuous adjustments in their orbits, ensuring that no single body remains in a completely stable position over astronomical timescales. The presence of multiple moons also suggests that Awei may have once been part of a more active collision zone in the Thilt System’s history, possibly accumulating these satellites through a combination of impacts and captures. While none of the moons have atmospheres or signs of geologic activity, their diverse compositions make them intriguing objects for further study, especially by the mining teams operating on Awei’s surface.