Núlne Galaxy

Núlne Galaxy
	A political map of the Núlne Galaxy
Observation data
Diameter	150–200 kly (46–61 kpc)
Thickness of thin stellar disk	≈2 kly (0.6 kpc)
Number of stars	100–400 billion [(1–4)×1011]
Mass	0.8–1.5

The Núlne Galaxy, also known as the Milky Way, is a barred spiral galaxy, located within the Local Group of the Virgo Supercluster, and the only galaxy known to harbor life. The galaxy has a diameter of between 150,000 and 200,000 light-years. It is estimated that the Núlne Galaxy has over 400 billion stars and as many as 100 billion planets; of these, however, only a few hundred of these solar systems are connected to the Interstellar Winds, a fixed network of nodes and pathways which enable easy superluminal spaceflight. The galactic center is a supermassive black hole with a scale of roughly 4.1 to 4.5 million solar masses. It has four main arms spiraling outwards from its central bulge, as well as several smaller arms referred to as spurs. It also has a series of satellite galaxies, the most famous of which are the Magellanic Clouds.

[some history, i suppose? the age and origins of the galaxy?]

The Núlne Galaxy is home to numerous species of intelligent life and multiple interstellar polities throughout a number of star systems, which are connected by the Winds. The majority of sovereign polities within the galaxy are members of the supranational Interstellar Assembly.

Etymology

The term núlne comes from the [carasi? drudari? elven] language and means something...

The English term "Milky Way", mirrored in several other Terran languages, is a translation of the Latin via lactea, itself derived from the Greek γαλαξίας κύκλος (galaxías kýklos, literally "milky circle"). This name derives from its appearance from the surface of a terrestrial planet as a thin, hazy, pale-colored band of light in the night sky. Most other human names for the galaxy similarly refer to its appearance.

Structure and contents

Size and mass

The Núlne Galaxy has a diameter of 150,000 to 200,000 light-years (ly), making it the second-largest galaxy in the Local Group, behind only the Andromeda Galaxy. Its stellar disk is, on average, 1,000 ly thick. Its galactic plane is relatively flat, excluding a ring-like filament of stars located roughly 150,000 to 180,000 ly from the galactic center. Estimates of its mass vary heavily depending on the method used, varying estimates for the number of stars and planets within the galaxy, and uncertainty regarding dark matter, which is believed to make up the bulk of the galaxy's mass. As a result of these uncertainties, the estimated mass of the galaxy ranges from 5.8 x 10¹¹ solar masses to 1.29 x 10¹² solar masses.

Galaxy UGC 1215, which is believed to resemble the Núlne Galaxy.

Structure

The Núlne Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy... [basic "barred spiral" explanation]

Galactic center

The central region of the Núlne Galaxy is marked by a large, roughly spheroidal region of old stars with a radius of roughly 10,000 ly, referred to as the bulge. Extending out from this bulge is the bar, which has a half-length of roughly 10,000-15,000 ly and functions as a stellar nursery by funneling gas in the interstellar medium through orbital resonance.

Arms and regions

[main arms- perseus, norma-outer, scutum-centaurus, carina-sagittarius; many smaller spurs, ie the orion-cygnus spur; note that these play only a limited role due to the winds]

[regions - core, mid, inner rim, outer rim]

Interstellar Winds

[wind stuff]

Environment

[halo of surrounding stars, satellite galaxies]

[andromeda, the local group, the virgo supercluster]

The Núlne Galaxy in the night sky, as seen from the Sol system.

Appearance

[as it appears on planets, or, given its dimness in the face of light pollution, doesn't appear]

History

Cosmological

The center of the Núlne Galaxy, viewed in infrared.

[the original formation of the galaxy; speculations at age]

Recorded

[any precursor type stuff; the pre-dreamtime xyn maybe?]

[more recent stuff; the number of sapient species explodes]

[contemporary- galactic war, ravnikor, IA]

List of polities

Name	Capital	Population	Region	Head of State	Government type
Cosmic Hierophancy	Vermindt, Guchetga Anthwa	87,481,020,295	Core Region	Asteraceae	Psionic direct democracy
Drudari Ecumene	Dhal'dhyû, Sôr'thes	189,553,319,000	Core Region	Nûlwé I	Noble republic
Rhaltek-v'Riiki Union	Ratanbir, Selestris	115,606,583,250	Mid Region	Epensith II cur Ibilhaur	Constitutional monarchy
United Planets	Rholosh, Rholosh	195,790,208,341	Core Region	Žaya I	Confederal absolute principate
Seven Bright Ones	Central Communication Station, Kernel	7	Core Region	None	Hivemind confederacy
File:Commonwealth Flag.png Commonwealth of Pavlostani	New Pavlostani, New Pavlostani System	85,000,000,000	Yet Unknown	Pavel Amonus	Parliamentary democracy

Núlne Galaxy

Contents

Etymology