Vulcan (Star Trek) - Homeworld

Homeworld

The Vulcan homeworld, also named Vulcan, was mentioned in the original series, episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" (1967) to be orbiting the far left star of Orion's belt, i.e. Alnitak, and in the script-adaptation anthology Star Trek 2, author James Blish put the planet in orbit around the star 40 Eridani A, 16 light years from Earth, an identification later adopted by Roddenberry. Vulcan is a reddish Minshara-Class planet. Its inhabitants were originally called Vulcanians; a name used by Spock in the Original Series episode A Taste of Armageddon, by Federation colonists in This Side of Paradise and by Harry Mudd in Mudd's Women. The planet is said to have no moons .

Much of its surface consists of deserts and mountain ranges, and large areas are set aside as wilderness preserves. It is much hotter, it has a stronger surface gravity, and its atmosphere is thinner than that of Earth. As a result of these factors, humans tend to tire out more quickly than native Vulcans.

In the alternate timeline of the 2009 film, Nero destroyed Vulcan by creating a singularity in its core as part of his quest to avenge the destruction of Romulus. The resulting implosion destroyed the planet, killing most of its six billion inhabitants. Only around 10,000 managed to escape, including Spock and some of the Elders. At the end of the film, Spock Prime tells the younger Spock a suitable planet had been located to establish a colony for the surviving Vulcans, so it can be assumed that this planet will be the new Vulcan.

An alternative to the 40 Eridani identification is also alluded to in the 2009 film. Spock Prime is marooned on Delta Vega, presumably the fourth planet orbiting Vega. Delta Vega is shown to be a Class M planet exhibiting Arctic like conditions. From Delta Vega, Spock Prime clearly observes the destruction of Vulcan. This would place Vulcan in the same system and in close proximity to Delta Vega. Comparing the two respective climates, it would appear that Vulcan is identified as Gamma Vega.

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