Ontalor

Ontalor is the fourth planet from Epsilon 5 in the system, and is around the same size as Earth. Ontalor was named by the scientist who first discovered it in 2317 through the lens of space voyager XXVII. Ontalor is orbited by three moons and the Horizon Space Station. The planet is rich in volcanic activity, but has extremely fertile soil, which is what made it a viable option for a Colony to be established upon its surface, despite the extreme seismic activity. Large pockets of water were found beneath the planet’s surface, in large underground reservoirs. Ontalor has an atmosphere thick with oxygen, which causes any wildlife that exists on the surface to be quite large. Several valleys can be seen along the planet’s surface, as well as a plethora of overly active volcanoes. There always seems to magma oozing out of pore like rivers that line the entirety of the planet.

Physical Characteristics
Ontalor has approximately the same diameter of Earth. However, it is more dense than Earth, having about 10% more mass. There are no bodies of water upon the planet’s surface, but there are large rivers of magma. When viewed upon with the naked eye, the planet looks black, with glowing red river’s of magma. The volcanic activity causes a portion of the atmosphere to be blanketed by ash.

The surface is also covered in elevated Plateaus, that act as fertile grounds for flora and fauna. These plateaus can span hundreds or thousands of kilometers in diameter, and tend to exist in between the segments of land dotted with volcanoes. The plateaus are broken up by the rivers of magma that cover the planet’s surface.

It is estimated that Ontalor’s formation took place around 4.7 billion years ago to 3.7 billion years ago. It is hypothesized that in Ontalor’s early years the atmosphere was much thinner, because many impact craters can be found around the planet’s poles.

Ontalor’s geology is a mix of minerals containing large traces of iron, and other elements that typically make up rocks and dirt. Though a large amount of basalt is continually being produced along the surface near the Volcanoes.

Studies show that Ontalor’s soil has traces of alkaline minerals, and is rich in elements such as magnesium, sodium, potassium and chlorine, which can be found similarly on Earth, and are necessary for the growth of flora.

Volcanoes
Atlas, is the name given to the planet's largest volcano, which sits near the planet’s south pole. The volcano is considered extinct, however. The Volcano is roughly five times the height of Mount Everest; measuring at an insane 44 km height. It is the tallest known mountain in the system.

Seismic Activity
Ontalor has a plethora of tectonic plates; causing the planet to be riddled with Earthquakes. In some areas, the plates have fault lines that run together, and form about every square kilometer, but in other areas there are plates that span approximate 3000 km in length. So seismic activity varies extremely, depending on where you are on the planet.

Cave Systems
Due to the high amounts of seismic activity on certain parts of the planet, entrances to large underground cave systems have been brought up to the surface. On a telescope, these entrances will look like large holes dotting the surface. These caves are mostly unexplored, and it is unknown exactly how deep down they actually go. These caves are extremely unstable, and unsafe.

Climate
Ontalor’s seasons are extremely dramatic; the planet rests in a daytime state, relative to that of an extremely warm Summer or Spring equivalent back on Earth, for about half of the year. The other side being akin to a harsh winter’s night for the same amount of time. The extreme nature of the seasons is due to the planet’s 87 degree axis. Which causes the planet to have only two seasons. Summer and Winter.

Local Calendar
Ontalor's calendar is similar to Earth’s calendar, but with adjustments to length of day and length of solar sweep. Local calendars have a tendency to use old measurements such as minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, etc.

1 day = 36 hours.

1 week = 7 days

1 month = 23 days

1 solar sweep = 14 months

1 solar sweep = 322.3 days.

Ontalor has 14 months split evenly into 23 days each. These are named identically to the Earth months except for the last two: Undecember and Duodecember. It also has two 7-month seasons. Ontalor has a leap day every 3 years, which is added onto the end of Duodecember.

Moons
Ontalor has three natural moons; Prometheus, Chronos and Demeter. Chronos and Demeter are relatively small and appear to be asteroids that have gotten caught up in Ontalor’s gravity. Prometheus however, is quite large, and it is hypothesized in Ontalor’s early years, when the atmosphere was still quite thin, a meteor hit the planet’s surface, causing a chunk of it to lift away from the planet and get caught up in the planet’s gravitational field, forming a moon. Though, in all actuality, the three Moon’s true origins are still a mystery. Chronos and Demeter rise in West and set in the East. While Prometheus, follows a pattern more like our own Moon on Earth; rising in the East and setting in the West.

Due to there being no surface Oceans to speak of, the moons have almost no effect on tidal patterns on the planet. However, the moons forces are slowly causing the planets orbit to rise each time it fully orbits Epsilon 5.

To do
Giant spiders, some rare resource found there (not decided yet)

OOC: Free build, regular map wipes