Vulcan is a planet in the 40 Eridani system and homeworld of the Vulcans, a founding member of the United Federation of Planets.
Astronomical data[]
Location[]
Vulcan, the second planet of the 40 Eridani system, was located 16 light years from Earth.
- In 2273, at about warp factor 6, this was 2.5 Earth days travel from the Sol system. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
Name(s)[]
- Vulcan
- Vulcanis
- Minshara (Star Trek: Enterprise)
- T'Khasi
- Ti-Valka'in
Moon(s)[]
The Vulcan homeworld has no moons. (TOS: "The Man Trap") However, it does appear to have at least one close planetary companion. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
- Vulcan's relationship to its sister planet T'Khut differs in different continuities. In some, T'Khut and Vulcan are in the same orbital pathway around their primary. In Star Trek Star Charts, they revolve around a common gravitational center that orbits around 40 Eridani, similar to the dynamic between Pluto and Charon in the Sol system.
- It has not been established, in pro- or fan-fiction, if the Delta Vega seen in Star Trek also existed, and by that nomenclature, in the Primeverse.
Colonies[]
- Fa-do-far was a colony of Vulcan. It was located 5.4 light-years away, opposite to the direction between Vulcan and the Romulan Star Empire. The planet was discovered in 499 B.C.E., and settled by sublight vessels in 275 B.C.E. During the Time of Awakening, the colony became isolated and was not rediscovered until 1897 C.E. (Chronicle Pinterest)
- T'Pel was a colony of Vulcan and the birthplace of Naavani Se'ele. (Star Trek: Avenger)
Further information[]
Geographical[]
Vulcan's climate is generally harsh, with much of the surface consisting of large deserts or mountain ranges. Furthermore, it has a considerably higher gravity and thinner atmosphere than Earth. Desert areas are prone to large amounts of heat, light and sand fire storms.
Vulcan has several tourist attractions, including active volcanoes, ancient ruins, and lava fields.
Land features and formations[]
- Fire Plains
- The Forge
- Lake Yuron
- L-langon Mountains
- Mount Tar'Hana
- Mount Seleya
- Osana caverns
- Sas-a-shar (desert)
- Voroth Sea
Cities and regions[]
- Gol
- Kir
- Raal
- ShanaiKahr
- ShiKahr (TAS: "Yesteryear")
- Ta'vistar (Star Trek: Avenger)
- ThalnaKahr
- T'Lingshar (Orion Press: "Contempt of Council")
- T'Paal
- Vulcana Regar
Points of interest[]
- Temple of Amonak
- Temple of T'Panit
- T'Karath Sanctuary
Historical[]
Vulcan's world government was known as the Confederacy of Surak and was founded in 370 A.C.E. (Star Trek Star Charts)
While the first official contact between Vulcans and humans took place on 05 April 2063 in or near Bozeman, Montana (Star Trek: First Contact), there had been at least one unofficial one: In 1957, a manned Vulcan probe crashed near the town of Carbon Creek, Pennsylvania. (ENT: "Carbon Creek")
Real-time subspace communications had been established between Vulcan and Earth by 2120. (The Starfleet Museum: Hyperion-Class Cruisers)
- In an alternate timeline Vulcan was destroyed by Nero, a Romulan, in 2258. (Star Trek)
In 2374, when Betazed fell during the Dominion War, it was noted that the Dominion would be in a position to threaten Vulcan. Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed that the Dominion had been building up its forces on Betazed and that they would be able to launch an attack on Vulcan. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight", "The Reckoning")
During the Dominion War, the Dominion launched three unsuccessful attempts to conquer Vulcan. (The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon)
During the Borg attack of 2381, the city of ShiKahr was utterly destroyed. (TNG novel: A Singular Destiny)
By the 31st century, Romulans had become part of the Vulcan populace, and the planet was renamed Ni'Var. Ni'Var left the Federation sometime after the events of The Burn. (DIS: "Unification III")
Political[]
As early as the late 21st century or early 22nd century, Vulcan had contact with the Cardassians, Klingons, Tholians, Tellarites, Trill, and humans, among others.
Before co-founding the Federation in 2161, Vulcan was in conflict with Andoria. It controlled the Coridan government, and had exchanged ambassadors with Earth and Qo'noS, among others.
During the mid-22nd century, the death penalty was still common practice in Vulcan courts for a small number of offences, including treason.
Zoological[]
- Le-matya (TAS: "Yesteryear")
- Sehlat (TOS: "Journey to Babel", TAS: "Yesteryear")
- Xirahnah, aka Vulcan silverbirds (Orion Press: "I Never Said Goodbye", Until the End of Time)
- Vulcan ant fish (Orion Press: "Outpost 7734")
- Vulcan marsupial
- Vulcan mollusks (DS9: "The Maquis")
- Vulcan sandworm
Botanical[]
- D'mallu vines (TAS novel: Star Trek Log One); aka Vulcan tripweed (Orion Press)
- Mel'aneesh (Absolute Horizon)
- Sha'for (a source of wood) (Orion Press: "Contempt of Council")
Fan fiction[]
Harry Potter and the Return of James T. Kirk[]
The Suliban launched a massive assault on both Earth and Vulcan. The Suliban who attacked Vulcan destroyed the 40 Eridani-A Spacedock, but no starships were docked at the time. The Enterprise-A diverted course to assist the USS Bozeman in relief efforts. (Harry Potter and the Return of James T. Kirk: "Relief Mission")
Star Trek: Mirror Wars[]
Vulcan, location of the first battle of the Mirror War (Star Trek: Mirror Wars).
During the Mirror War it was discovered a cloaked fleet of Terran Empire warships were heading towards the planet Vulcan. The USS Majestic plus all available ships headed to protect Vulcan. (Star Trek: Mirror Wars: "Approaching Dawn")
It was learned that Vulcan was home to a secret base which was The Emperor's main target in invading Vulcan. The base was supposed to be infiltrated by the Imperial Guard, under the command of Commander Blake Terval, but they failed. It is unknown what exactly the base hid, but it was deemed important.
The Starfleet force that first engaged the mirror universe's fleet came to Vulcan after they finished the battle, and helped end the attack on Vulcan. (Star Trek: Mirror Wars: "Seeing in the Dark")
Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions[]
Sometime after returning from New Bolarus and Milami Thall's entry into Starfleet Academy, Ualla Thall and the Federation starship she was serving aboard went to Vulcan to treat an outbreak of Rigelian fever. Milami Thall took the time to visit the T'Peral Plateau.
Lieutenant T'Piam was born and raised on Vulcan. (Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions)
External links[]
- Vulcan (planet) article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Vulcan (planet) article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.