Sol system

The **Sol system** is a gravitationally-bound system comprised of eight planets numerous dwarf planets and many other objects orbiting a yellow-dwarf star commonly known to the inhabitants as the Sun.

Sol is the birthplace of humanity, with almost all life in the system originating on Earth. Humanity has colonized most of the planets, their major satellites, and the Asteroid and Kuiper belts.

## Planets

The Sol system contains eight planetary bodies and 20 major moons. Currently six of the eight planets have a permanent human population living on the surface, or in orbit.

A list of all planets with short descriptions is below.

Mercury

Brief Description
Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the Sol system orbiting at an average distance of 58 million kilometers. Mercury is one of the only two planets in the Sol system to not have a permanent human population in orbit or on the surface. Several companies have attempted to start mining operations on the planet, with all being abandoned due to the high cost of constructing and maintaining them. Mercury is sometimes used as a hideout for pirates operating in the inner system.

Venus

Brief Description
Venus is the second planet from Sol, and contains a very thick atmosphere mostly comprised of carbon dioxide. Although Mercury is closer to Sol, Venus is the hottest planet in the system due to it's thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. Venus once had a network of high-atmosphere floating cloud cities with a population of around 45,000. The entire population was killed when a Carrington class CME struck the planet leading to power failures on all of the cities. Like Mercury, Venus currently has no population.

Earth

Brief Description
Earth is the third planet in the Sol system, and is the only planet in the system to have liquid water on its surface. Earth is the birthplace of Humanity and the most populated planet in Human controlled space with a population of approximately 20 billion. Earth serves as the capital planet of the United Nations of Earth and remains a major hub of Human culture and politics. Earth's single natural satellite Luna is one of the largest industrial centers in the system, being the source of most of the UNE's naval forces.

Moons
Earth has only one moon:

* Luna

Mars

Brief Description
Mars is the fourth planet around Sol. Mars is a cold dusty desert world with massive canyons and volcanoes indicating that is had a much more active past. Mars was the first planet colonized by humans, and currently has a population of eight billion. Most of the population lives underground to protect from the harsh solar radiation the planet is exposed to. Like Luna, Mars is a major industrial hub for the United Nations of Earth.

Moons
Mars has two moons:

* Phobos
* Deimos

Jupiter

Brief Description
Jupiter is the fifth planet, and the first gas giant in the Sol system. Jupiter is the largest planet in the system and contains four major moons and 93 minor moons. Jupiter and its moons have been heavily colonized by humanity with five billion people living in the Jovian system. Jupiter is the primary source for Helium-3 in the Sol system, and some of its moons are harvested for water ice to supply the outer system with water, oxygen, and hydrogen fuel.

Moons
Jupiter has 97 moons of which four are considered major:

* Io
* Europa
* Ganymede
* Callisto

Saturn

Brief Description
Saturn is the sixth planet from Sol and the second largest in the system. Saturn has 145 moons of which seven are considered major. Saturn is known for it's vast ring structure, while it's not the only planet in the system with rings, they are the most spectacular. The rings consist mainly of ice, which is harvested to be used as a water supply for the colonies in the outer system. Saturn's moons are home to various United Nations research and weapon testing facilities, the largest being the Huygens Xenobiology Research Facility on Titan.

Moons
Saturn has 145 moons of which seven are considered major:

* Mimas
* Enceladus
* Tethys
* Dione
* Rhea
* Titan
* Iapetus

Uranus

Brief Description
Uranus is the seventh planet in the system and the first of the ice giants. As the other six planets had been known for millennia, Uranus is considered the first planet to be truly discovered by Humanity. Uranus is the only inhabited planet in the Sol system to not be under the control of the United Nations of Earth. Instead the planet is governed by a loose alliance of independent colonies on Uranus' moons.

Moons
Uranus has 27 moons of which five are considered major:

* Miranda
* Ariel
* Umbriel
* Titania
* Oberon

Neptune

Brief Description
Neptune is the eighth and furthest planet from Sol. Neptune is very similar in composition to Uranus, having a large amount of water, ammonia, and methane in its atmosphere. Neptune was discovered by Urbain le Verrier in 1846 being the second planet discovered by Humans. Neptune has the smallest population of all the planets in the Sol system with only 10,000 people living on the surface of its moon Triton.

Moons
Neptune has 14 moons one of which is considered major

* Triton