Rigel

*For similarly named articles, see Rigel (disambiguation).*
*This article is about about the "true" Rigel, Beta Orionis. You may be looking for Beta Rigel.*
The **Rigel** system, also known as **Beta Orionis**, was a trinary star and planetary system in the Beta Quadrant of the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 860 light years rimward of Sol. The system contained at least twelve planets orbiting the primary, with another several planets orbiting the distant secondary pair of stars, which were collectively known as Rigel BC.

Another star, known as Beta Rigel lay much closer to Earth, and was often confused for Beta Orionis. (*Star Trek: Star Charts*)

The Hakel radiation belt, extending out to 80 AU from the Rigel A, shielded the system from much of the star's harmful output, creating a large habitable zone that allowed for the statistically improbably number of life-sustaining planets in the system. (FASA: *The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge*)

Asteroid belts existed between Rigel I and II, and between Rigel XII and XIII, both of which were home to extensive mining operations. The thirteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth planets presented navigational hazards which made the region between the main Rigel A system, and the Rigel BC subsystem very dangerous. (FASA: *The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge*; Decipher: *Worlds*)

The two planets orbiting Rigel BC were both Class M, the unlikelihood of which strongly implied an engineered system, or at least significant terraforming in the ancient past. (FASA: *The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge*)

Travel between the Rigel system and the Federation core some 800 light years distant would normally take months or years, but thanks to the discovery of the "Rigel Highway" by the 23rd century, it was only a journey of a few weeks. (TOS: "The Cage", "Mudd's Women"; *Star Trek: Star Charts*)

## System information

* Rigel / Beta Orionis A / Kolar
	+ Hakel radiation belt
		- extends out to 80 AU from the star
	+ Rigel I (Tugn)
		- Class F / Class B
	+ asteroid belt
	+ Rigel II (Atugn)
		- Class D
	+ Rigel III (Volum)
		- Class M
	+ Rigel IV (aka "The Parking Lot")
		- Class K
	+ Rigel V / V'geln
		- Class H desert planet
		- home of the V'gelnians, a Vulcanoid offshoot
	+ Rigel VI / Nedasar
		- Class T gas ultragiant
		- Significant ring system and many moons, some quite large
		- Sirk, one of the largest moons was a Class K planetoid.
	+ Rigel VII / Aulia / Kolar
		- Class M
		- homeworld of Rigellian humanoids and Kaylar
		- very large Class D moon, Golia or Haladar
	+ Rigel VIII / Botchock / "Orion"
		- Class M, two moons, ring system
		- "ancient Orion homeworld"
	+ Rigel IX (T'ap)
		- non-radiant gas giant (Neptune-like)
	+ Rigel X (Onot)
		- Class I gas supergiant
	+ Rigel XI (Piiu)
		- non-radiant gas giant (Neptune-like)
	+ Rigel XII (Egessemine)
		- Class H, eccentric orbit varies between 290-300 AU from Rigel A.
	+ asteroid belt
	+ Rigel XIII / Lonakar
		- Class I gas supergiant
	+ Rigel XIV / Govar
		- Class K
	+ Rigel XV / Sheshar
		- Class J gas giant
	+ Rigel XVI / Yagthar
		- Class G
* Rigel BC / Beta Orionis B-C
	+ Rigel BC-I / Avali
		- Class M
	+ Rigel BC-II / Ugoan
		- Class M

## External links

* Rigel article at ***Memory Alpha***, the canon *Star Trek* wiki.
* Rigel article at ***Memory Beta***, the non-canon *Star Trek* wiki.
* Rigel article at ***Star Trek Expanded Universe***, the fanon and fanworks *Star Trek* wiki.