Algol (world)

Algol/Star Bridge (Aldebaran 0112)
Classic Era (1116)	D000168-9 Starport D Poor: No Construction, Minor Repair, Unrefined fuel Size 0 Asteroid/Planetoid Belt Atmosphere 0 Vacuum Hydrographics 0 Desert World 0% Population 1 Low (20) Government 6 Captive Government/Colony Law 8 High Law (controlled blades) Tech Level 9 Early Stellar (fusion)
See also	UWP
System Details
Primary	B8 V K2 IV A5 V
Planetoid Belts	1
Gas Giants	2

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Jump map from Travellermap.com

Algol is a ring of many small worldlets (planetoids AKA an "asteroid belt"), not capable of retaining an atmosphere or water, and is also a low-population vacuum environment with a population of less than 10,000 sophonts, warranting hazardous environment precautions.

• Life in a vacuum requires great discipline. After all, it only takes one forgotten seal on a vacuum suit to spell death. Those who survive tend to be very methodically-minded and attentive to small detail.
• It is a member of the Solomani Confederation in the Star Bridge Subsector of Aldebaran Sector.

• It orbits β Persei C, the system's tertiary star.
• This world is controlled by Elysee.

Algol ABC System
Star Bridge/Aldebaran 0112
Position	Distance	Name	UWP
Primary		β Persei A	B8 V
1	0.06 AU	β Persei B	K2 IV
2	2.69 AU	β Persei C	A5 V
3	13.6 AU	Rocky Belt	Y000000-0
4	15.9 AU	Planet 3	Y211000-0
5	18.4 AU	Planet 4	Y102000-0
6	25.3 AU	Planet 5	Y5A2000-0
7	26.8 AU	Planet 6	Y101000-0
8	31.5 AU	Perv	Large GG
1	5 Diam	Vert	H301000-0
9	275 AU	Planet 7	Y9C1000-0

Algol C Sub System
Star Bridge/Aldebaran 0112
Position	Distance	Name	UWP
Primary		β Persei C	A5 V
1	0.04 AU	Imper	Hot GG
2	0.14 AU	Planet 1	Y310000-0
3	0.26 AU	Planet 2	Y7B0000-0
4	0.51 AU	Mainworld	D000168-9

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

Stellar Data

Algol is a trinary star system.

• The primary is a huge blue-white main sequence named β Persei A / Beta Persei A, or Algol A.
• The secondary is turbulent orange subgiant named β Persei B / Beta Persei B, or Algol B.
• The tertiary is a blue-white main sequence named β Persei C / Beta Persei C, or Algol C.

Algol has three stars in the star system.

β Persei A
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	B8 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		3.38	10700 - 12300	70.99184
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0266	0.6989	4.75 - 817	2.66	26.6
	Orbit #	*	2	12	5	8
	Remarks		Active star: it produces high levels of EM noise.
β Persei B
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	K0 IV	Subgiant		2.3	4000 - 5000	4.67
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.03071	0.17924	1.72 - 2.8	3.071	30.71
	Orbit #	*	0	5	5	9
	Remarks		Approximately 0.062 AU from the primary: unstable active star that is losing mass.
β Persei C
	Type	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temperature (K)	Luminosity
	A5 V	Main Sequence (Dwarf)		1.88	7910 - 8100	9.11072
	Unit	Diameter	Safe Distance	Habitable Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0166	0.2504	2.61 - 4.49	1.66	16.6
	Orbit #	*	0	5	4	8
	Remarks		Approximately 2.69 AU from the primary.

Notes

β Persei A and β Persei B are close companion stars. Stellar material is drawn off of the highly distorted, pear-shaped β Persei B and falls onto β Persei A due to the primaries high gravity. This process is called "mass transfer" and triggers enormous stellar flares on both objects. The stars emit intense bursts of energy, including X-rays and radio waves, that are generated by their powerful magnetic fields interacting with the mass transfer.

When observed from the surface of Terra, the dimmer but larger β Persei B happens to be at the correct angle to eclipse the slightly smaller but far brighter β Persei A every 2.87 standard days, causing β Persei A to appear to have a variable luminosity. When the stars are observed from most other systems, the viewing angle is different and the eclipsing effect is not observed.

β Persei C is a 4th-generation, metal-rich star but is otherwise considered unremarkable.

System Data

The worlds of the system have been surveyed. They consist of:

• The mainworld, orbiting β Persei C.
• x7 secondary rocky worlds.
  • Two orbit close to β Persei C, while the remaining five have circumtrinary orbits in the far outer system.
• x1 planetoid belt, with a circumtrinary orbit in the outer system.
• x2 gas giants, named Imper and Perv.
  • Imper is a hot gas giant orbiting very close to β Persei C.
  • Perv has a circumtrinary orbit in the far outer system.

Mainworld Data

Algol is an Asteroid Belt mainworld.

The Algol Belt orbits in the inner system of Beta Persei C.

• It also lies within the inner system of the Beta Persei A-Beta Persei B close binary pair.
• It receives very high levels of stellar energy.

Mainworld Size (S)

Algol is an Asterioid Belt or Planetoid Belt consisting of a few very large objects with diameters of hundreds of kilometers, thousands of bodies of a few kilometers in diameter, and millions of smaller objects. Asteroid Belt is used when the belt is the mainworld of a system. Planetoid Belt refers to any non-mainworld belt within a system.

Mainworld Atmosphere (A)

None of the bodies within the Algol belt retain an atmosphere.

• The belt is in vacuum conditions, requiring the use of a Vacc Suit.
• TL–8 or more advanced survival gear is required to settle this world.

Mainworld Hydrosphere (H)

The Algol belt contains no icy bodies. No belt objects are known to have frozen volatiles on their surfaces.

• Wilderness refueling is not possible within the belt.
• Water for the inhabitants is imported and is extensively recycled.

Mainworld Geography and Topography

No centrally held map of the world exists within AAB Library Data records.

(Placeholder chart, asteroid belt.)

History & Background (Dossier)

Algol is famous for its trinary stars: the huge bright primary, visible from the skies of Terra, is nicknamed the Demon Star. It has an eclipsing binary companion and is considered a textbook example of the principle of stellar mass-transfer.

• The primary is siphoning matter off its once much larger subgiant companion. Some astronomers like to call it a "star mugging".

The system's primary and secondary stars cause interference, strange tones and noises, and heavy static on commo and sensors.

The Algol Belt is the site of a scientific outpost, located on a large planetoid and funded by the government of Elysee. A bare-bones refueling downport and an occasionally occupied scientific observatory are maintained on Vert, the major moon of the outer gas giant Perv.

Solomani Security keeps a close eye on things to ensure the security of the Confederation and the well-being of its loyal citizens. Almost anyone could be a SolSec informant, passing on all sorts of useful information: some gain a reward or benefit for their actions, others are coerced, but many see it as an act of duty to help protect the Solomani state and its interests.

World Starport (St)

Algol has a Class D Starport, a poor quality installation which has few of the expected amenities. There is unrefined fuel for starships and a limited variety of ship provisions. There is no shipyard of any kind, but there may be parts and technical support for doing minor services and repair. Ports of this classification generally consist of only a downport, unless this is a trade port or system with an hostile environment mainworld.

World Population (P)

Algol has a population of 20 sophonts (tens).

• This is a Low Population World and the population would be too low to sustain itself without significant outside assistance. This may represent a transient population such as the crew of a starship, the final survivors of a dying colony, an advance team setting up to receive colonists, or a small outpost where establishing a colony is not the primary objective.
• The population almost entirely consists of Solomani humans.

Linguistic Topography

The most commonly heard languages are:

• Euxene French, a Terran language principally spoken in the Euxene Cluster.
• Rim Anglic, a dialect of Anglic and the principal language of the Confederation.

World Technology Level (T)

Algol possesses a Technology Level of TL–9.

• Common Communication technologies for this TL include: Fiber optics and satellite communication and data networks.
• Common Power Generation technologies for this TL include: Early fusion power.
• Common Transportation technologies for this TL include:
  • Land: Ultra high-speed trains and early grav vehicles.
  • Water: High efficiency sailcraft, multihulled seacraft, improved artificial gills.
  • Air: Tiltrotorcraft, exotic VTOL's, PARWIG, and rocket-assisted suborbitals.
  • Space: SSTO spacecraft, early military spacecraft (System Craft), and interstellar STL starships
  • FTL: Prototype Jump Drive-1.

World Government (G)

Algol has a Captive Government or Colony. The world is ruled by an external government, there is no self-rule. This is a colony or conquered area. The local government is an oligarchy appointed by, and answerable only to, the external government.

World Law (L)

Algol has a high law level with laws covering many areas of interactions of people, corporations, and the government. A few worlds with this law level may be Amber Zones. Any interaction with the judicial system requires an Advocate trained in the local legal system. Law enforcement is present almost everywhere, either as people or via technology. Legal proceedings can take weeks to months to resolve and involve a dozen or more people. All blade weapons and firearms, and anything more destructive, are typically regulated or prohibited.

Trade Data

• Importance: -2 (very unimportant)

World Economy

• Resources: 5 (scarce)
• Labor: 0 (none available)
• Infrastructure: 0 (non-existent)
• Efficiency: -2 (fair)

World Culture

• Heterogenity: 3 (monolithic)
• Acceptance: 1 (extremely xenophobic)
• Strangeness: 3 (somewhat typical)
• Symbols: 6 (somewhat concrete)

World Timeline

Major events that have affected this world and the wider region that it lies within:

• -9235: far to coreward, the Vilani discover jump drive technology. Over the centuries pioneers and settlers gradually spread across Charted Space.
• -4045 to -2204: the Ziru Sirka controls vast territories.
• -2431: Terrans discover jump drive technology.
• -2404 to -2215: the Interstellar Wars.
• -2204 to -1776: the Rule of Man administers the former Ziru Sirka.
• -1776 to 0: the Long Night.
• The Year 0: to coreward, the Third Imperium is founded.
• 300-420: the Imperial First Survey charts the system.
• 604-622: the Imperial Civil War.
• 624: the Imperial Express Boat Network is established.
• 704: the Solomani Autonomous Region is formed.
• 800-820: the Psionics Suppressions.
• 871: the Solomani Confederation is founded.
• 940: the Solomani Autonomous Region is dissolved.
• 990-1002: the Solomani Rim War.
• 995-1065: the Imperial Second Survey includes data for the system.
• 1065: the Second Survey is published. Information about the system becomes widely available.

References & Contributors (Sources)

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 8 Library Data (A-M), (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), various pages. (Library data entries)
• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Classic Traveller Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z), (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), various pages. (Library data entries)
• John Harshman, Marc Miller. Solomani (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), IFC, pages 3, 28. (sector named, background for the sector)
• Peter G. Celella, James Holden. Solomani & Aslan (Digest Group Publications, 1991), pages 8-11, various others. (dot map locating the worlds of the sector, background for the sector)
• Steven Eric Schwartz. MegaTraveller Periodical Imperiallines 2, 1991, page 5. (Bootean Federation, background for the sector)
• Michael Taylor. Fighting Ships of the Solomani (QuikLink Interactive, 2009), page 5. (background for the sector)
• David L. Pulver. Solomani (Mongoose Publishing, 2012), pages 50, 118, 119, various others. (background for the sector)
• Martin J. Dougherty. The Order of Prometheus (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), various pages. (scenarios and background for the sector)
• Zho Berka's Maps (Classic Era UWP Data for the world)
• CORE Data Site (UWP Data for the world)
• Author & Contributor: Garnfellow (development of the sector)
• Author & Contributor: Leroy W.L. Guatney of the Federation Development Agency (FDA) (development of the sector)