Orcus (Or-cus)
Non-gravitationally rounded object, and the anti-pluto
Orcas is a non-gravitationally rounded dwarf 'planet' in the Kuiper belt. It is home to two penal colonies operated by the Plutonian and Charonian governments.
For non-gravitationally ounded objects, Orcus is considered quite large, and for a while, it was unclear if it had rounded itself under its gravity or not.
Orcas itself is inhospitable. There are no plans to terraform it and therefore lacks an atmosphere. This is useful in keeping the prisoner population inside the colonies, as escaping requires some method of maintaining pressure and the ability to breathe.
Its name was chosen as it's considered to be an anti-Pluto, orbiting in the same resonance as PLuto does with Neptune, however at the opposite side of the solar system. This made it an opportune location for a Plutonian penal colony, as the prisoners are practically as far from Pluto as they possibly could be.
Geography
Orcus is a small object, that would under previous classifications be considered a dwarf planet. Currently, it is considered too large to be an asteroid, but not round enough to be considered any sort of planet.
Orcus may have an ocean underneath its frozen surface, however, no such ocean has been found thus far.
Ecosystem
Orcus has no known ecosystem, as it lacks an atmosphere. It is unclear if, should it be found to have an ocean underneath its ice, an Orcusian ecosystem could be found.
Natural Resources
Orcus is made of 50% water ice and 30% methane ice. The water ice is used as a source of drinkable water, however it is known to be not that drinkable.
History
Orcus was discovered on the 17th of February 2004. It was first visited in 2167, where it was discovered to not be gravitationally rounded, and was then expcluded fom terraforming plans. It became the home of a penal colony in the 2180s.
Alternative Name(s)
2004 DW
Type
Planetoid
Location under
Included Locations
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