Antara Prime

Located near the center of Known Space, in what is considered the Galactic Interior within what is known as the Imperia System, Antara Prime is the capital world of the Antaran Empire. It is the fourth planet in the system, orbiting the purplish-white primary Solaris.

Antara Prime was the first world settled by the Antaran people after their exodus from Old Earth. It orbits what was originally known to them as Beta Tauri, now Solaris.

The planet is approximately 9,891 light years from the galactic center. It is 515 kilometers greater in diameter than Old Earth and has a gravity of 9.81 m/s². Its surface is 71% water and 29% land, with ice caps at both poles. Antara Prime has a rotation period of 26 standard hours and an orbital period of 371 days. There are three moons - Primus, Secundus and Tertius.

There are four continents, none of which are connected by natural land routes. The world is a disciplined balance of technology and nature, with careful laws in place to that govern pollution control, waste reclamations, construction and other related concerns. The planet is known for having one of the most pleasant environments for such a populated world in Known Space.

Antara Prime has a very formidable planetary defense grid and some of the most powerful planetary shields in Known Space. The planetary weapons system is equipped with extremely high-power particle beams that have a range of nearly 10,000 kilometers. Connected to a dedicated grid of fusion reactors buried deep below the planet surface, they bring massive firepower to bear against starships, able to punch through the shields of smaller vessels and virtually annihilate the shields of larger ships.

The planet currently has a population of three billion, with almost 250 million citizens living within the vast metroplex of Imperial City, which is the capital city of the entire Empire.