Zheth

Zheth, commonly referred to as Craehlil V, is the fifth planet in the Craehlil System of the Orion Arm of the Milkyway Galaxy, orbiting Craehlil at a distance of 4.21 AU. A frozen metallic world marked by high-albedo surface plates and continent-sized impact basins, Zheth is often overlooked due to its bleak terrain and absence of traditional biospheric value. Its surface consists of fused nickel-iron plains interspersed with ancient scar fields from asteroid and planetoid collisions, many of which predate the Vey’Zari. Subsurface magnetic anomalies suggest an active metallic core, and periodic crustal flexing causes localized magnetic pulses.

Zheth

Astrographical Information

Galaxy

Milkyway

Galactic Arm

Orion

System

Craehlil System

Orbiting

Craehlil

Orbital position

Fifth Planet

Orbital Distance

4.21 AU (630,833,055 km)

Orbital characteristics

Aphelion

4.32 AU (647,493,230 km)

Perihelion

4.10 AU (614,172,880 km)

Semi-major axis

4.21 AU (630,833,055 km)

Eccentricity

0.073

Orbital period (sidereal)

2,964.7 days

Average orbital speed

13.9 km/s

Mean anomaly

236.5°

Inclination

• 1.8° – Craehlil's equator;

• 0.9° – invariable plane;

• 2.4° – J2000 ecliptic

Longitude of ascending node

143.6°

Time of perihelion

412.5 days

Argument of perihelion

91.7°

Moon(s)

3

Physical Information

Diameter

10,992 km (6,832.7 mi)

Mean radius

5,496 km (3,416.4 mi)

Equatorial radius

5,509 km (3,424.5 mi)

Polar radius

5,485 km (3,408.2 mi)

Flattening

0.0044

Circumference

• 34,600 km; equatorial

• 34,448 km; meridional

Surface area 380,000,000 km²

• Land: 380,000,000 km²

• Water: 0 km² (0% of Zheth's surface area)

Volume

6.933 × 10¹¹ km³

Mass

5.41 × 10²⁴ kg

Mean density

7.11 g/cm³

Surface Gravity

13.5 m/s²

Moment of inertia factor

0.310

Escape velocity

13.1 km/s

Synodic rotation period

57.8 Hours

Sidereal rotation period

54.9 Hours

Equatorial rotation velocity

298.2 m/s

Axial tilt

7.6°

Axial Precession

32,100 years (minor due to lack of atmospheric drag)

Albedo

• 0.42 geometric

• 0.31 Bond

Temperature 36–211 K

Surface Temperature

• -237°C (-395°F) Min

• -185°C (-301°F) Mean

• -62°C (-79.6°F) Max

Surface absorbed dose rate

0.8 μGy/h

Surface equivalent dose rate

1.1 μSv/h

Apparent magnitude

+2.2" to +6.1"

Absolute magnitude (H)

6.91

Atmosphere

Surface pressure

0.004 kPa; ~0 atm (trace residual gas)

Composition by volume

• 82.1% Argon

• 7.6% Neon

• 4.3% Methane (ice-trapped release events)

• 3.5% Helium

• 2.0% Volatile residues (metallo-organic offgassing, industrial byproducts)

• 0.5% Xenon and trace gases (residuals from prior orbital industry)