Journeyman Survey Log

[Varaven]

Journeyman Cartography Log, Stardate 91594.3
"Pendragon" System

Summary:
The Journeyman has recently completed the charting of an anomalous star cluster found at a heading of 37 mark 42 approximately 7.13 light years from Starbase 332.  A particularly dense pocket of gases in the Khazan Cluster Nebula resulted in the formation of a rare penta-celestial system, wherein two binary star pairs (one F-F pair, one F-G pair) orbit a single Class O super-giant.  The orbital pattern, surprisingly, appears stable, with less than a 1E-9% degradation per solar year.  Specific astrometric readings have are attached to the report.

Further surveys revealed two small asteroid belts, which appear to be the remains of two mostly ferrous solar bodies destroyed by the shearing effects of multiple gravitational forces.  Indeed, the Journeyman itself encountered differences of up to 12.3% gravitational force in areas of stellar alignment, which would be sufficient to tear most worlds apart.  Analysis indicates, however, that these asteroid belts may have been the result of large rogue comets entering the system approximately 1.5M and 2.3M years ago.  Geological and mineralogical analyses are attached to the report.

Actionable Data:
Beyond being an extremely rare stellar phenomenon, no action is recommended.  An astrometric series has been left to chart the unusual gravimetric output of the stars and further determine the cause of the stability, though it is believed to be natural.

Record:
Biological Potential: 0
Colonization Potential: 0
Mining Potential: 0
Terraforming Potential: 0

Political Significance: 0
Scientific Significance: 12 (marginal - see above)
Tactical Significance: 0

Note:
It is apparently a humanoid custom to give names to systems by those who discovered it.  Our astrometrics team has settled on the name "Pendragon" for this star system.  Reportedly, the name has a dual meaning: first, Pendragon is apparently a play on "pen" or "penta" meaning "five", and "dragon" which was a fierce fire-breathing creature from ancient human mythology.  Secondly, "Pendragon" itself was the surname of a legendary king of human mythos, and the astrometrics team seems to enjoy the duality of the name.

I do not understand the practice of naming unoccupied systems of little significance, but I will submit the name to Starfleet all the same.

[Varaven]

Journeyman Cartography Log, Stardate 91613.48
Gal Gath'thong System

Summary:
Stellar Cartography has been very busy this week.  The Journeyman passed through three previously uncharted star systems, though only the third was of real scientific interest.  Two additional stars: NGC-77241 (Red Dwarf) and NGC-77242 (Yellow) have been uploaded to the Starbase computer.  These were unremarkable systems featuring no planets or other orbiting bodies.

The third system, however, was of more interest as it confirmed the existence of a phenomenon which has only been hypothesized -- and in dramatic fashion no less.  Specifically, the Journeyman crossed into a system with not one but three epistellar jovians (i.e., "Hot Jupiters") near a Red Giant star. Close proximity of a gas giant to a Red Giant has never been observed directly, though some Red Giants have demonstrated chemical patterns indicative that they had consumed their Gas Giants upon expanding.  All three gas giants pass within .35 AU of their star, with an estimated apex of .72 AU; as such, the temperature differential between "day" and "night" sides of the planet is relatively constant due to high wind speeds and a thin atmosphere.  The Journeyman's Xeno-Meteorology Department reports that most of the atmospheric particles have been "bled off" due to the high gravity of the planet.  The Geodetics reports that it is likely that these gas giants once had moons, like the Sol System's Jupiter, but that these have since been torn from the orbits into the much more massive star.

That three gas giants even developed in such close proximity to one another is extremely unusual.  It would have been interesting to see how moons in such close proximity affected one another.

When the Sol Star becomes a Red Giant, Jupiter itself may demonstrate similar properties.  Continued astrometric analysis of the surface of the sun and the orbital patterns may be of interest from a scientific perspective.  All files have been uploaded to the Starbase mainframe.

Actionable Data:

No action is recommended.  An astrometric series has been left behind to maintain the analyses suggested above.

Furthermore, because the gas giants cast a long "shadow", it is somewhat feasible that this location could be used to hide a small fleet from long range scans.  This is, however, made less feasible with the astrometric series in place.  I did, however, promise my Chief Tactical Officer that I would make a note in my report.

Record:
Biological Potential: 0
Colonization Potential: 0
Mining Potential: 0
Terraforming Potential: 0

Political Significance: 0
Scientific Significance: 50 (significant interest - uncharted phenomenon)
Tactical Significance: 10 (marginal)

Note:
The primary authorship of the research on this system belongs to a Romulan member of my crew.  She has named the system after a mountain range that existed on Romulus renowned for its "rivers of fire".