Bukwus

The planet Bukwus (New Canada V) is the fifth and outermost planet in the New Canada system.

Mythology

Celestial bodies in the New Canada system are named after figures from the mythology of the ancient Canadian Indians on Earth. Bukwus was the Chief of Ghosts. He is a tiny supernatural being that lives in the woods and steals our children and persuades them to eat his ghost food so he can take their souls. A leprechaun, Bukwus is a spiritual embodiment of all things in the forest. He is a representation of people in our lives that attempt to influence us negatively.

Geology

Bukwus is the smallest and most remote planet in the Serenity system, a frozen snowball of solid nitrogen and methane surrounding a small rocky core. The surface has a very low albedo due to deposits of space dust and dark organic chemicals caused by photochemical reactions in the methane.

Biology

No life forms have been found on Bukwus.

Meteorology

Because of the intense cold in the outermost reaches of the solar system, the mostly-nitrogen atmosphere of Bukwus is permanently frozen and lying on the ground in the form of nitrogen snow. Only during the planet's closest approach to the sun does the temperature reach high enough for some of the nitrogen to evaporate back into the air.

Habitation

Only one scientific team early on in the exploration of the New Canada system has ever visited Bukwus. There are no permanent settlements and no facilities for visiting science expeditions, although there are plans for the construction of a semi-permanent research station.