iSimangaliso System
YZ Ceti, Tau Ceti, Lalande 21185
~28,000 ly
iSipho, kwaLasha
iSimangalisi
Gliese 65, Luyten 762-8, UV Ceti/BL Ceti
Isankahlu (BL Ceti), Ingqumbo (UV Ceti)
M5.5V, M6V
Unknown
11.15
Union of the Gift
978 million
Medium-Low
Zulu, Xhosa, Sesotho, Shona, Tswana
The iSimangaliso System is a binary star system found ~8.77 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. It is notable one of the least habitable star systems within the local interstellar sphere, as both of its component stars regularly emit powerful flares.
The system comprises two mid-M-class red dwarf stars, Isankahlu and Ingqumbo, and is notable for both the presence of the United Peoples of the Gift (iziZwe eZihlangene zeSimangaliso) in the system, and the comparatively very low percentage of the population existing on planetary surfaces.
History
Earth-Based Observation
Discovered in 1948 by Wilhelm Jacob Luyten in the course of compiling a catalog of stars of high proper motion, the iSimangaliso System was initially catalogued simply as Luyten 726-8. Later, Wilhelm Gliese published information about the primary star in his first catalogue, labeling it as Gliese 65, its primary name until 2175. Soon after the discovery of Gliese 65 A, its companion star was differentiated and discovered. Like Gliese 65 A, this star was also found to be variable and given the variable star designation UV Ceti. Due to its impressive flaring processes, it became the prototypical example of such flaring red dwarfs which are now classified as UV Ceti Variables.
In 2024, a candidate super-Neptune mass planet was detected in orbit around one of the Gliese 65 pair, although it was unclear at the time which one. The Very Large Telescope's GRAVITY instrument accomplished this through the then-unreliable method of astrometry, but later observations from independent teams around the world confirmed its presence in orbit around BL Ceti, the primary star, with a period of 156 days.
Later, in 2055, refined astrometry methods detected two more planets, much smaller than the one previously found around BL Ceti. For some time, it was believed due to the twin stars' closeness that both of them orbited UV Ceti, but it was later revealed that the inner one was misplaced and in fact joined the previously discovered super-Neptune.
Sol King Exodus and Early Colonization
Unification Conflicts
Modern Era
Architecture
The iSimangaliso System consists of two similar red dwarf stars: Isankahlu, a low-intensity M5.5V flare star, and Ingqumbo, an M6V flare star of unparalleled flaring power. These stars orbit 5.459 Astronomical Units apart every 26.5 years. Isankahlu's planetary system consists of two planets, Kupisa and Molelo, the latter of which holds two major moons in its orbit. Across the gulf between the two stars, Ingqumbo only holds a single planet of Ilangabe in its orbit, alongside a smattering of dwarf planets and asteroids such as Chesa. Surrounding the two, a small circumbinary disk with a variety of dwarf planets exists, extending outwards until it merges with the system's minuscule Oort cloud.
Isankahlu (BL Ceti)
Isankahlu, initially catalogued as BL Ceti, is a main sequence M5.5V star. Due to its greater habitability, Isankahlu's surroundings are home to the greater proportion of the system's population. Despite also being classed as a UV Ceti-type variable, it is much less remarkable or extreme in its flaring behavior than its binary companion.
Ingqumbo (UV Ceti)
Ingqumbo is very physically similar to its binary companion, only marginally dimmer and cooler on its surface as an M6V main sequence star. In the early astronomical era, it was given the designation UV Ceti as the most prominent example of a flare star, and gave this name to the whole class of variables. Unlike Isankahlu, Ingqumbo goes through drastic changes in brightness, regularly increasing by 75 times in just twenty seconds.
Isankahlu System
Kupisa
Molelo
The first planet discovered in the iSimangaliso System by earthbound astronomers and outermost world of Isankahlu, Molelo is a 40-earth-mass ice giant and the greatest center of population within the system. Its twenty-seven moons host great amounts of habitation and mining infrastructure created by the United Peoples, and the moon of Isiseko is considered to be its capital.
Idwala Belt
Isankahlu's remaining planet-forming material has been prevented from forming more planets by Molelo's influence, creating the Idwala Belt. This belt contains a number of asteroids and dwarf planets, including Mbombela and Polokwane.
Ingqumbo System
Udaka Belt
The inner asteroid belt of Ingqumbo, the Udaka Belt contains a large collection of rocky and metallic asteroids. Mining them is extremely lucrative for both the United Peoples and sufficiently sneaky independent operators, but the unpredictable flaring of the star makes it dangerous and expensive to conduct. This flaring also results in rapid temperature changes within the asteroids, creating fascinating geological features.
Ilangabe
A small planet similar in size to Mars, Ilangabe has always been a sunblasted wasteland. Taking its name from the Ndebele word for "flame", this term is apt as its surface is regularly blasted with sunlight during Ingqumbo's regular superflaring. Due to this and its tidal lock, Ilangabe is almost exclusively populated on its night side with temperatures as low as 59 Kelvin and only the guttering candlelight of distant Isankahlu to illumine.
Circumbinary Objects
Outer Belt
Beyond the eternal dance of the twin stars of the system, there lies a massive collection of icy objects known simply as the Outer Belt. Largely beyond the control of the United Peoples, the people of the Outer Belt stand alone against the lawless universe in their locally fabricated habitats and torchships. Far beyond the system lies
Surroundings
Noted for its exceptionally high proper motion of 3.37 arcseconds annually, the iSimangaliso System was over a light-year closer to Sol just 29,000 years ago. Its own nearest neighbor of Tau Ceti is 3.20 light-years distant, and is being considered as a colonization project by the iziZwe eZihlangene zeSimangaliso. Next outwards at 3.6 light-years distant is the unremarkable red dwarf of YZ Ceti, which thus far remains uncolonized by humankind.
5.1 light-years away lies the highly populated Ran System. In approximately 31,500 years, the system will approach within 0.93 light-years of Ran, disturbing long-period cometary objects towards the star and spending ~4,600 years wtihin a light-year of the system. One and a half light-years beyond is Gliese 887, the Tenth Assemblage, and finally the uninhabited red dwarf GJ 1061.
List of Bodies
- Chesa
- Ilangabe