Binary stellar system · 10 planets · Former home of the Alf people
Primary star — Asterra
The Asterra star system is dynamically stable and long-settled. Most permanent infrastructure predates the loss of Ytharia and was designed for extended autonomous operation.
1. Keth
Keth exhibits permanent hemispheric contrast — the dayside faces continuous stellar radiation while the nightside remains cold and shielded. Never intended for habitation, it functioned solely as an inner-system industrial node.
| Operational depth | Peak staff | Automation |
|---|---|---|
| 300–1,200 m | <400 | HIgh |
Facilities: subsurface, hardened · Power: orbital solar collectors and compact reactors
Companion star — Carmyn
Carmyn is the red companion star of the Asterra binary system, orbiting at a wide separation that renders it a naked-eye fixture in Ytharia's night sky — a dim but constant red point, distinct from the stars of the broader field. Its slow drift across centuries of recorded observation made it a cultural and navigational reference point long before its stellar nature was understood.