Maka

The Sērbaka Homeworld

Standing out as an uncomfortable place for life to begin, Maka is hot and arid, clutching a weak, tenuous, and potentially toxic atmosphere; suitable only for the creatures that managed to evolve here.

Maka, alongside Kēst, the Kašē homeworld, form a binary planetary system – a pair of similarly sized worlds mutually locked in co-orbit around a central point between them – constantly vying for second planet from Ňisa, their parent star. Covering roughly 73.8% of Maka, a single supercontinent blankets the world, leaving the remaining 26.2% covered in water, comprised of a single large central ocean, several inland seas, and freshwater sources like groundwater, lakes, and rivers. Amidst average global temperatures of 29°C (84.3°F), Maka is nearly devoid of snow and ice, with only the tallest mountains sporting white peaks.

Estimated at over 6 billion years old, Maka remains an active world, constantly reshaped through tectonic activity, weathering, and erosion, to include historical (extinct) glaciation and meteorite impacts. Furthermore, tidal heating, or frictional heating, resulting from the eccentric orbital interaction between Maka and Kēst, feeds endless energy into both worlds, promoting and fueling perpetual vulcanism.

Maka Compared to Earth

Maka is a beautiful world, even given its shortcomings, the sky is blue, a deep blue, darker than earth, a result of the thinner atmosphere. Ňisa, the baking sun at the center of the solar system is reddish-orange, due to its smaller size and lower spectral classification, only 38% as bright as Sol, however it simultaneously appears 15% larger in the sky, another artifact of its smaller mass and luminosity, requiring Maka (and Kēst) to be 32% closer to their parent star to be in the habitable zone. Kēst hangs large in the Maka sky, appearing twice the size of Earth’s moon, even though it is 4.3 times the diameter and 2.2 times further away. Furthermore, Maka experiences phenomenal auroras, a consequence of the planet’s proximity to Ňisa and interactions between the remarkably strong Maka magnetosphere and the stars coronal mass ejections. And there is more beauty to be found, vivid colors, unlike anything found on Earth.

Low atmospheric pressure has many other effects upon the planet, one of which is the boiling point of water is reduced; fresh water on Maka boils at 83.9° C (183° F), making the planets hold on its surface water tenuous at best. As temperatures spike in the hot seasons, there are scant few degrees between the air temperature and the boiling point of water which accelerates the water cycle increasing atmospheric water vapor volume, providing significant moisture to inland areas that would otherwise be much dryer.

As a curious side effect of lower atmospheric pressure, popular human foods that contain starch such as rice, potatoes, and wheat are challenging to cook, resulting in generally overcooked exteriors while remaining crunchy in the middle. Resolving this can be as simple as cooking within pressurized containers but since this pertains to food unconsumable by Sērbaka, it is a technology that never reached the Maka population.

Geography

Great Basin Ocean

Total Surface Area

91,100,000 km²
(35,200,000 mi²)

Avg. Depth

1,400 m
(4,600 ft)

Max. Depth

3,720 m
(12,200 ft)

Avg. Tidal Range

2.78 m
(9.13 ft)

The Great Basin Ocean comprises roughly 82% of all surface water on Maka, making it perhaps the single most important biomes on the planet. It hides many wonderous and impressive features – continental shelves, oceanic plains, mountains, volcanoes, trenches, canyons, plateaus, and a global oceanic ridge – while simultaneously harboring many diverse organisms, including crucial photosynthetic life which produce much of the world’s oxygen. Further assisting the Great Basin Ocean in its life sustaining efforts, are several inland seas, each equally diverse and accounting for around another 8% of all surface water, combined. Unfortunately for Sērbaka, the Great Basin Ocean and seas are ill suited for consumption due to their high salinity, though other factors still make them incredibly attractive locals to live.

Exacerbating issues further, atmospheric moisture, soil, and deep, essentially inaccessible, underground reservoirs conspire to lock away approximately 8% of all freshwater on Maka; Sērbaka have no sufficient methods for extracting water from any of these resources, leaving a meager 2% of various freshwater sources and biomes accessible to Sērbaka. Lakes, oasis, rivers, streams, and aquifers form the bulk of these reserves, each hosting varied and distinct species.

As impressive as freshwater and marine biomes are, on Maka, they do not come close to the grandeur and scope of dry land, featuring elevations ranging from 491 m (1,611 ft) below sea level to 9,759 m (32,019 ft) above sea level, the pinnacle of the tallest snow-capped mountain. Two biomes dominate vast tracts of the Maka surface: grasslands and deserts.

Grasslands

Annual Precipitation

15-50 cm/ year
(6-20 in/year)

Temperature Range

-20° to 58° C
(-4° to 136° F)

Savannas

Annual Precipitation

15-75 cm/year
(6-30 in/year

Temperature Range

35° to 55° C
(95° to 131° F)

Deserts

Annual Precipitation

1-28 cm/year
(0.4-11 in/year

Temperature Range

2° to 65° C
(36° to 149° F)

Grasslands, including savannas, cover approximately 56% of all dry land, an amazing 175 million km2 (67.6 million mi2) of grasses, flowers, herbs, and intermittent tree, all prospering and feeding great herds of large herbivores, which in turn nourish Sērbaka and numerous other predators. Frequent droughts and high summer temperatures bring seasonal fires which are vital for biodiversity of these biomes. Temperate grasslands are one of the few biomes on Maka, aside from high elevations that see any form of regular seasonal snow fall.

Deserts swallow up another approximately 37% of land, or 116 million km2 (44.7 million mi2). These seas of sand, gravel, and rock are among the most challenging environments for life, anywhere. Extraordinarily little rain falls here, when it does, it falls in concentrated bursts, interspersed between long rainless periods, however, night cooling causes condensation of dew, which often exceeds annual rainfall. Despite the lack of water and extreme, wildly fluctuating, temperatures, a large variety of plants prosper in the harsh deserts of Maka, and in turn numerous faunae, primarily small mammalian-like and reptilian-like life thrives there.

Alpine, chaparral, deciduous forest, and rainforest biomes split the remaining 7% of land.

Type

Planet

Included Locations

• Bzǎvǎkfa
• Maw of the World
• Tazōzo
• Tšēžt Caldera Hot Spot

Owning Organization

Ňisa Imperium

Related Ethnicities

• Sērbaka Symbology

Inhabiting Species

• Sērbaka
• Tǎrtaŋk

Age

9.2 bn local years (6.03 bn Earth years)

by HiClipArt

Orbital Characteristics

Aphelion

111,103,000 km
(69,036,000 mi; 0.743 AU)

Perihelion

105,303,000 km
(65,432,000 mi; 0.704 AU)

Semi-Major Axis

108,203,000 km
(67,243,000 mi; 0.723 AU)

Eccentricity

0.0268°

Avg. Orbital Speed

39.07 km/s
(140,646 km/h; 87,379 mph)

Inclination

2.33°

Ascending Node (☊)

74.94°

Arg. of Periapsis (ω)

337.38°

Co-orbit

Kēst

Satellites

~10,000 artificial

Physical Characteristics

Mean Radius

5,806.66 km
(3,609.09 mi)

Mean Circumference

36,484.32 km
(22,670.31 mi)

Total Surface Area

423,704,000 km²
(163,592,000 mi²)

Land Surface Area

312,626,000 km²
(120,706,000 mi²)

Water Surface Area

111,078,000 km²
(42,887,000 mi²)

Volume

8.20102E+11 km³
(1.96753E+11 mi³)

Mass

5.96106E+24 kg
(1.31441E+25 lb.)

Mean Density

7.269 g/cm³

Surface Gravity

11.798 m/s²

Rotation Period

25.05 Earth hours

Axial Tilt

37.16°

Albedo

0.19 Bond

Mean Surface Temp

28.2°C (82.8°F)

Atmosphere

Surface Pressure

56.204 kPa (at MSL)
(8.15 psi; 0.5547% Earth)

Boiling Point of Water

83.9° C (183° F)

Scale Height

7.4 km
(4.6 mi)

Nitrogen (N₂)

59.324%
(32.907 kPa; 4.773 psi)

Oxygen (O₂)

24.917%
(13.821 kPa; 2.005 psi)

Neon (Ne)

11.182%
(6.203 kPa; 0.9 psi)

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

2.739%
(1.519 kPa; 0.22 psi)

Argon (AR)

1.062%
(0.589 kPa; 0.085 psi)

Methane (CH₄)

0.598%
0.332 kPa; 0.048 psi)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

0.029%
(0.016 kPa; 0.002 psi)

Water Vapor (H₂O)

Up to ~4% by volume
(Climate Variable)

Atmosphere

For nonnative species, the atmosphere of Maka can be pernicious, however, strongly recommended but simple precautions, such as ensuring access to air filtration and supplemental oxygen, easily overcome potential health risks caused by unprotected contact with the potentially toxic Maka atmosphere. Chief among likely challenges facing travelers to Maka is the feeble atmospheric pressure, equivalent to around 55% of Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in decreased oxygen availability, like breathing at an altitude of 4,700 m (15,400 ft). Making matters worse, the atmosphere contains two potentially dangerous compounds in significant quantities, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, the product of regular and persistent grassland and savanna fires, in conjunction with low atmospheric oxygen levels encouraging inefficient burning, releasing unsequestered carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide directly back into the atmosphere. In species without adaptations for contending with high concentrations of these compounds, adverse effects may arise. Possible symptomatic responses include, though not limited to, poor judgement, coordination, concentration, and attention span, abnormal fatigue upon exertion, impaired respiration with potentially permanent heart damage, nausea and/or fainting, headaches, and dizziness.

Thus, the Ňisa Imperium strongly recommends all species unaccustomed to Maka atmospheric conditions, not stray from their specially prepared facilities without adequate P.P.E. Neither the Ňisa Imperium, nor any of its agents or citizens, accept any responsibility or liability, should this warning go unheeded.

Furthermore, atmospheric layers are affected by the lower atmospheric pressure, resulting in relatively shallow layers. The lowest layer, the troposphere, the layer closest to the Maka surface, contains eighty percent of the planets total atmospheric mass and extends roughly 7.4 km (4.6 mi) up on average, varying from 11.1 km (6.9 mi) near the equator and dipping to 3.7 km (2.3 mi) at the poles. Average temperatures at the extreme of this region, near the transition to the Stratosphere drops to -19.1° C (-2.4° F). Above the troposphere, the stratosphere, extends roughly 30.8 km (19.1 mi) up and contains a further nineteen percent of total atmospheric mass but contains little water vapor, though it does contain the important ozone layer which absorbs some UV light from the star. Temperature increases with height within the Stratosphere, preventing convection; a phenomenon visible in the ‘anvil-shaped’ tops of cumulonimbus clouds, where the ‘anvil-shaped’ top spreads horizontally along the bottom of the stratosphere region. The stratosphere transition can also be observed on some of the tallest Maka mountains; mountains that reach into this layer, have their peaks scoured of snow covering by strong winds and a process known as sublimation, the process by which ice transitions directly into vapor, further exacerbated by the lack of water vapor in the stratosphere limiting initial snow accumulation. Beyond the stratosphere is the mesosphere which extends to roughly 52.4 km (32.6 mi) up and contains the lowest portion of the Ionosphere. The ionosphere extends from 37 km (23 mi) to 185 km (114.9 mi) encompassing the boundary between the mesosphere below and the thermosphere above. Electrically charged (ionized) particles produced by the absorption of radiation from the star make up this layer, with density changing from day to night, denser during the day, less so at night; its existence is why radio signals can be received all over the globe and has been harnessed as the backbone of current global communication technologies. Finally, the thermosphere extent fluctuates between 308 km to 616.5 km (191.4 mi to 383.1 mi) up; auroras occur in this layer as charged solar particles interact with the Maka magnetosphere.

Beyond the confines of the surface, the atmosphere reaches ever upward toward the vacuum of space in an ever-thinning gradient, consisting of several stratified layers, including an ozone layer, which partially blocks harmful UV radiation from reaching the Maka surface. At around 9.6 km (6 mi), only one-quarter of the total atmosphere remains. 90 km (60 mi) from the hot, arid Maka surface, marking the official, though wholly inaccurate, and entirely arbitrary, transition point between the extent of the atmosphere, and the beginning of the vast empty blackness of space. Despite the grasp of the relatively high Maka gravity, a slow but steady escape of the already thin atmosphere continues, primarily taking the form of unbound hydrogen (H & H2) and Helium (He most escaping hydrogen comes from deconstructed methane, as it interacts with solar radiation from Ňisa in the upper atmosphere, as nearly all the planets remaining hydrogen resides in hydrogen containing compounds, like H2O, found on or near the Maka surface. Finally, the magnetosphere reaching out to 80,000 km (49,700 mi) on the star side, while the magnetotail extends a magnificent 1.61 million km (1 million mi), powered by an incredible geodynamo at the core of Maka.