Eithalica (planets)
|
Type |
|
|---|---|
|
Number of bodies |
4 |
|
Total mass |
23.05 × 1024 kg |
|
Axial radius |
24.97 × 106 m |
|
Siderial day |
… |
|
Synodic day |
… |
|
Orbital period |
… |
|
Axial tilt |
… |
Eithalica (pronounced “eye-THAL-ik-ah;” ipa: /aiθˈælɪkə/) is a planetary system of four bodies, or a “quadruple planet.” It is home to two intelligent species[1]:
- Klevem, a humanoid species, and
- Yalengem, a flying tetrachromat with pronounced bioluminescence.
The celestial bodies of Eithalica include Eith, which is the one in the center and the largest (by a slim margin); and three outer bodies or “moons” (see below):
Physical Characteristcs
All the bodies in Eithalica have nearly the same physical characteristics: mass, mean radius, mean density, general composition, climate, etc. They even have comparable types of global ecosystems and share flora and fauna.
On top of these similarities, their orbital configuration is striking in at least four ways:
- All three “moons” orbit extremely close to Eith (and each other) with very short periods.
- All orbits are geostationary to Eith, a condition kept stable by tidal forces.
- All bodies are tidally locked to each other.
- The system is radially symmetrical (see below).
Celestial Classification
Eithalica is a unique system that resists conventional classification.
A layman might see that Eith sits permanently in the center of all the “lunar” orbits, and suppose this means Eith is the host for those orbits. But this is a deceptive consequence of the system’s overall symmetry. In reality, the gravity from Eith plays a smaller role in defining each moon’s orbit than does the combined gravity from the other two moons. So the system is truly mutual like a quadruple star, but of planets. Hence it receives the term “quadruple planet.”
In this wiki and other real-life English works, the outer bodies of Eithalica are still called “moons” in a virtual sense, and for simplicity. However, a moon is defined as a naturally occurring satellite, i.e. a body which orbits another. To say that one body orbits the other, and not vice versa, is to presume a hierarchy between the two which in the case of Eithalica and each of its moons is very tenuous.
Theoretically all bodies in a system exert at least some gravitational force on all other bodies in the system, but for most planet systems the masses involved are defined by a hierarchy so enormous that it’s unmistakable and indisputable. Often the influence of the smaller bodies on the larger is negligible.
In real-life astronomy so far, most disputes on this topic concern possible dwarf planets. Every one of Eithalica’s bodies is too large to be remotely considered “dwarf-size,” yet it still exists at an utmost edge of these definitions—a new, somewhat different edge.
Paranatural Symmetry
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