Vael is the first planet of the Kirb system. The planet is a gas giant on a very close orbit around Kirb, meaning it is classified by kerbal scientists to be a Hot Jool. Transits of this planet are visible throughout much of the Kirb system.
In-Game Description[]
Vael was the first exoplanet that was ever discovered by Kermanity when astronomers noticed that the light coming from Kirb periodically dimmed from time to time as Vael passed in front of the star. Vael is classified as a Hot Jool, being a gas giant planet that orbits extremely close to it’s parent star. The extreme temperatures that the planet is exposed to actually allows some of the dayside atmospheric gases to enter an ionized state, and the close orbital path means that Vael is tidally locked to its star.
Discovery[]
When the search for extrasolar planets began on Kerbin, kerbal scientists naturally decided to point their instruments toward their closest stellar neighbors first. Because of Vael's large size and extreme proximity to Kirb, the planet frequently and noticeably dimmed the light of Kirb when it passed in front of the star. The result was that Vael became the first exoplanet ever discovered by kerbal kind, as well as the first to have its atmosphere analyzed by atmospheric spectroscopy.
Physical Characteristics[]
Vael is a hot Jool. That means it is a Jool-sized planet very close to its star. Because of this, it has a large effect on the inner planets in the Kirb System. The large amount of radiation eminating from Kirb causes the Kirb-facing side of Vael to energize and expand. This has led to the pink, non-banded side of the planet to face Kirb. In the lower atmosphere, however, the clouds are driven by large wind currents, causing them to form massive storms visible under the upper atmosphere.
Atmosphere[]
Vael's atmosphere is a superheated envelope of gases that are constantly whipping across the planet at incredible speeds. The extreme pressure difference between the two sides of Vael drives winds that surpass the speed of sound. On the day side, the upper layer of the atmosphere is consisted of hot plasma, formed from ionized gases heated to extreme temperatures. Meanwhile, the gases on the nightside radiate this heat away and condense back into cooler gases, causing the worldwide pressure gradient that drives the vicious atmospheric winds.
Orbit - Rotation[]
In the distant past, Vael orbited Kirb in a much wider and further out orbit, possibly near or even past the orbit of Mirn. Over time, gravitational exchange (and drag) with the protoplanetary disk around Kirb allowed Mirn to move into the habitable zone and Vael to get extremely close to its host star.
Not all kerbal scientists are convinced by this explanation, however. They state that such migrations by the gas giants would have disturbed and inhibited the formation of the inner rocky planets like Silne or Ilve. It is possible that Hot Jools can form very close to their stars, but this not a popular theory among Kerbal scientists as of yet.
Gallery[]
First direct image of Vael, just to the left of Kirb.
Transit of Vael
Trivia[]
- Vael is the closest Hot-Jool to Kerbin in KSS
- Vael was the first exoplanet ever to be discovered by Kerbalkind.
- Vael's size allows it to be spotted by every planet in the Kirb System.