Planet Profile: Cyanos
Distance from Earth – 63 light years
Mass – 0.73 EME (Earth Mass Equivalent)
Population – 360,000
Captial – Aoraki
Location – HD 189.733b
Population: The majority of the planet’s population lives in and around the capital Aoraki, – meaning “cloud piercer” – due to the high mountain peaks surrounding the city that are often seen to pierce the clouds. More isolated communities exist further outside the city, such as the Snow Leopards who inhabit the more temperate and habitable volcanic valleys of the north near the polar ice caps.
Climate: The climate of Cyanos at the equatorial regions is subpolar oceanic, transitioning to expansive uninhabited areas of cooler highland tundra in the mountains. The equatorial climate is more temperate than would be expected due to oceanic currents which are warmed by numerous sub-oceanic volcanic vents. This also helps to moderate the planet’s temperature in the inhabited areas.
The weather on Cyanos is notoriously variable. There are two main seasons – winter and a cool summer – or ‘winter-lite’ as it is sometimes known. The Cyanos winter is relatively mild overall, owing to the maritime influence and proximity to the warm vulcan currents. The equatorial lowlands of the planet average around 0°C in winter, The average temperatures in the northern polar regions range from around −25 to −30 °C. The lowest temperature on record is −39.7 °C.
The average summer temperature in Aoraki, with its location near the equator is 10–13 °C. Warm summer days can reach 20–25 °C. The highest temperature recorded was 30.5 °C. Annual average sunshine hours in Aoraki are around 1300, which is similar to towns in Scotland and Ireland on Earth.
Geology: The geology of Cyanos is unique and of particular interest to geologists. The planet is made up of numerous and divergent tectonic boundary plates. Aoraki lies above a hotspot, the vulcan plume. The plume is believed to have caused the formation of the Aoraki region, first appearing over the ocean surface about 16 to 18 million years ago. The result is a landscape characterized by repeated volcanism and geothermal phenomena such as geysers.
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