Archer IV Archer IV was an inhabited M - class planet orbit ing the primary 61 Ursae Majoris . This planet was located less than ninety light year s from the Sol system and had two moon s . Named for Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer , the planet was the first M - class world surveyed by the crew of the starship in 2151 . Archer IV ' s atmosphere consisted of seventeen percent oxygen and eighty - one percent nitrogen , also including trace elements of nitrogen dioxide and chloromethane . Boasting a fertile landscape including vast grasslands and snow - topped mountain s , Archer IV was inhabited by a wide array of plant and animal life , including nocturnal marsupial s , scorpion - like arachnid s , fireflies , and fish . The planet , however , supported no indigenous intelligent lifeform s upon its discovery . The first Earth creature to set foot on the planet was Porthos , Captain Archer ' s dog , followed moments later by Archer himself . Initial landing parties in 2151 experienced rapidly changing weather patterns and fast - moving storm s . Such inclement weather spread toxic pollen , released by the diverse fauna and flora , causing in Human and Vulcan visitors paranoia and decreased cognitive function . With no refuge from the effects of the pollen , the planet was considered to be uninhabitable . ( ) Shortly before Travis Mayweather visited the in January 2153 , Charles Tucker III handed him a PADD which included a picture of Mayweather standing in a green field on Archer IV . ( ) In 2154 , Jonathan Archer pointed out Archer IV ' s parent star in the night sky over Earth and recounted the events from three years prior to Erika Hernandez . ( ) Archer IV remained uninhabitable throughout the 22nd century . In the early 2200s , however , an antidote for the pollen was discovered . By 2268 , more than seven hundred million people populated the planet . ( " production art " ) In 2366 , Archer IV was the destination of the Federation starship following an investigation of a nearby radiation anomaly . ( ) In 2371 , the location of Archer IV was labeled in a star chart Data and Picard studied in stellar cartography aboard the " Enterprise " - D . ( , " okudagram " ) " In an alternate timeline , Archer IV was the site of a battle in the . At this engagement , the " Enterprise " - D emerged victorious against the Klingon s . " ( ) Appendices . Background information . The scene descriptions in the script for " Strange New World " originally twice described this planet as a " lush , blue - green planet , " prior to the teleplay detailing aspects of the planet more closely . In an unused line of dialogue from the script , the planet ' s mountains were described , by Crewman Ethan Novakovich , as seeming to be taller than the Himalayas . In , the NX - class " Enterprise " set a milestone in 2151 by becoming the first Starfleet ship to travel ninety light years from its homeworld . Archer IV was visited by " Enterprise " prior to its historic feat . The fourth season episode revealed the connection between and through text in Jonathan Archer ' s personnel file . The file indicated that the planet orbited 61 Ursae Majoris , a fact also established in the script of . " " ( pp . 60 , 63 , " United Federation of Planets I " ) , which came out prior to this connection being made , stated the planet to be Loracus Prime , which actually was a misinterpretation of a prop seen early in the episode " Strange New World " . As a consequence , the star " Archer " , which Archer IV supposedly orbited , was placed near Klingon territory , several hundred light years away from Sol . The more recent " " ( " Federation Historical Highlights , 2161 - 2385 " ) corrected this error . The system was identified as Archer . Both sources locate the 61 Ursae Major system in the Beta Quadrant . In the late 24th century , this was a Federation system . The states the exterior scenes , depicting the planet ' s surface , were filmed on location at the Golden Oak Ranch ( aka the Disney Ranch ) in , California . The cavern interiors were filmed on location at the in Los Angeles . Apocrypha . The DS9 novel " The 34th Rule " states Archer IV was the source of a beverage called Archerian slug wine . Although the novel was published two years before the episode aired , a species of slug - like creatures appear in " Strange New World " .