Cyrannus

Overview

The name of the system containing the Twelve Colonies of man (Battlestar Galactica video game).

It is unclear whether it is accepted as canon within the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, or whether it is a single star with multiple life-bearing planets, or a binary, a trinary star system, or an open cluster of stars.

Potential of A Single Star

While it has been ascertained through searches undertaken from both the surface of the Earth and the Hubble Space Telescope that there are a large number of planets orbiting local stars in our galaxy, most of the planets discovered to date are clssified as gas giants, similar in size and potentialy in composition as the planet Jupiter in our own solar system.

Further, it is believed that there is a very narrow band of space around a star that will encourage the formation of life-bearing planets (the so-called "Goldilocks Zone"). This is a region of space where the heat from the sun is neither too hot nor too cold to prevent the natural development of life through chemical and then organic means.

It is highly improbable that a single star would have no fewer than twelve planets and moons orbiting a star within the "zone of life" for that star. This would indicate that it is doubt the 12 colonies exist within the planetary system of a single star - unless the Colonials have the ability to carry out considerable terraforming; something that is not indicated given their current technological capabilities.

However, the Colonials did indeed need FTL drive because although the 12 Colonies were their home system, Ron D. Moore has stated that there were numerous mining colonies (for Tylium, etc) such as Troy, as well as scientific stations, etc. that were not located in their own star system. FTL drive was needed to travel between them.

Binary Stars

Binary stars are stars bound by a common gravitational force such that they orbit around a common point in space. Their spectral types can vary quite widely, and it is questionable as to whether all binaries will be capable of producing stable planets due to the degree of gravitational flux between the stars.

Binary star systems can also form the center of hierarchical triple (trinary) systems (a binary system with a third star orbiting both) at a much greater distance.

Cyrannus might be considered a binary star system because such systems, while containing multiple stars, are often referred to by a single name. A binary star system, with stars in the G-K spectral range offer the possibility that each star develops its own Goldilocks Zone and habitable planets therein. The changing distance between the two stars as they orbit each other could conceivably encourage the use of some form of FTL travel to move rapidly between worlds orbiting either star.

The use of a binary star system would be more in keeping with the "reality" sought for by the creators of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, and would present the opportunity for moons to be potentially used as colony "worlds" as well as planets.

Example of a Binary Star System

The Alpha Centauri system is a prime example of both a binary star system and an hierarchial triple star system, a multiple-star system having a single name.

Alpha Centauri comprises a true binary system, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, both of which are of the correct spectral types to sustain life-bearing planets. They in turn are orbited by a third star at a much greater distance (Proxima Centauri), thus making the system an hierarchial triple. Proxima Centauri is classified as a red dwarf, and thus is believed incapable of bearing life-sustaining planets.

Open Star Clusters

Open star clusters, as their name suggests, are groupings of multiple stars in relatively close proximity to one another which are not bound together by gravity (although a star cluster can contain binaries among its number. Due to the number of stars within a cluster, the possibly of several being able to support life-bearing planets might be considered high.

There are several advantages in considering Cyrannus to represent a star cluster (or for the Twelve Colonies to be within an open star cluster:

• A star cluster may present a much large number of stars capable of supporting life-bearing planets
• The distances between stars would be much greater than a binary system, and would help explain why some vessels operated by the Colonials are so luxuriously equipped or outfitted for long duration flights, as it would most likely require vessels to make multiple jumps between stars, thus measuring journey times in terms of days (or possibly weeks).
• A star cluster might explain why the Colonials don't appear to have undertaken much in the way of really deep-space exploration. They might have been engaged in simply surveying other stars within the cluster (thus having knowledge of the Promar Sector, but at the same time being oblivious to the precise location of Kobol relative to their own worlds).
• A star cluster would give the Cylons ample opportunity to hide away from Colonial eyes, while still keeping a check on (and perhaps influence) Colonial activities.

Example of an Open Star Cluster

The Pleiades cluster is a classic exmaple of an open star cluster, although it is one that contains relatively young stars, many of which are burning too hot to sustain life-bearing planets.

Origins

In the original series, the Twelve Colonies were said to be located in the Cyranus system (note spelling). While it is accepted this is a multiple star system, its exact nature and composition is unknown.