Sagan 3
Image by Yannick
Mean Distance: 122676237.881 km
Mean Distance: 0.82004 au
Mean Radius: 4128.408 km
Mean Diameter: 8256.816 km
Equatorial Circumference: 25939.55 Km
Surface Area: 1.0709 x 10^14 m^2
Volume: 2.9474 x 10^20 m^3
Mass: 1.7625 x 10^24 Kg
Density: 5.98 kg/m^3
Surface Gravity: 6.9003 N/Kg
Escape Velocity: 7.54814 Km/s
Solar Flux Density: 3438.17 Wm^2/s
Average Surface Temperature: 308.88K (35.72 C)
Min Surface Temperature: 262.01K (-11.15 C)
Max. Surface Temperature: 361.29K (88.13 C)
Average Albedo: 0.37
Average Atmospheric Absorption: 22%
Orbital Speed: 36.93426 Km/s
Orbital Period (Its Year): 241.5445 earth days
Prisagan (Closer to Sagan): 0.80344 au
Aposagan (Further from Sagan): 0.83664 au
Orbital Eccentricity: 0.02024
Orbital Inclination: <1 Degree
Axis Tilt: 15 Degrees
Rotation Speed: 1332.96775 Km/s
Rotation Period (Its day): 19.46 earth hours
A rocky (desert) terrestrial planet occupying the inner edge of Sagan's habitable zone.
Sagan III's 15 degree axis tilt allows more solar heat to fall on its poles preventing any snow fall from creating polar ice caps. Even though temperatures can fall to 262K (-11C) during the colder nights their influence is canceled out by the hotter diurnal temperatures.
The equator is a hellish super arid landscape baked throughout the day by scorching temperatures reaching up to a maximum of 361K (88C) by midday.
Most of the volcanic activity on Sagan III is dormant except at near equatorial regions. It is not clear whether the superhot equatorial climate has encouraged more volcanic activity but since this is the only region where it prospers it is assumed that higher temperatures have promoted the geological activity here. Adequate magnetic field generated by its iron core and a moderate atmosphere have provided protection from solar winds and prevented a runaway greenhouse effect.
Volcanic dust from eruptions carried way by winds to replenish desert sands below polar latitudes are darker than the equatorial brighter sands. This difference in sand brightness has lead to a higher albedo at the equator and lower at higher latitudes. The darker sands absorb more heat while the lighter ones at equator reflect it more creating a significant temperature difference at higher atmospheric altitudes. This temperature potential coupled with the high rotational spin of Sagan III has helped to nuture the vigorous winds that transport hotter equatorial air and dust to higher latitudes. The volcanoes are the only source of water output on Sagan III. Gaseous matter, including water vapor, ejected during eruptions is speedily carried way by the winds. This heavy mix sinks to lower altitudes, where the water vapor condenses as a dew during the colder nightly periods on the darker sands (higher latitudes). The sands absorb the dew, a slow water drainage process given the small volume of water at the surface. A vast water table has evolved over many millennia at these latitudes. Thats vast for Sagan III's arid landscape but would be considered as a poor supply by Sagan IV standards.
Tolerable temperatures of 30 to 40C are reached at higher latitudes. The southern regions are covered with long sand dunes that rise ten times higher than those on earth. The northern areas are hosts to vast desert plains where dust devils regularly stir up multiple miniature sand storms. When these merge large sand storms form, affecting the movement of sand dunes at south. These very high sand dunes act as natural barriers that contain the sandstorms preventing wide scale spreading. The water table is also at its deepest here. Life could prosper here assuming the moderate temperatures remain stable.