The Sun

Sol
Also called:	The Sun Orb
Type:	Star
Location:	Mutter's Spiral
Appearances:	Many episodes

For the anthology, see Short Trips: The Solar System.

Sol or the Sun was the home star of the Sol System, a planetary system about twenty-seven thousand light years from the galactic centre of Mutter's Spiral.

History

Historical Overview

• Life evolved on at least 5 natural satellites orbiting Sol: Venus, the twin planets of Earth and Mondas, Mars and the Planet 5.

• At an early stage of development, Venus supported native sentient life. (MA: Venusian Lullaby)

• Circa 12,000,000 BCE the Time Lords placed the Planet 5 in a time loop, in effect destroying it. The Fendahl, which came from the Fifth Planet and which the Time Lords had intended to destroy, possibly destroyed life on Mars on its way to Earth. (DW: Image of the Fendahl)

An asteroid belt somehow resulted from the time looping of the fifth planet. Perhaps the Time Lords themselves imported the asteroids as replacement for the excess mass missing when they removed the Fifth Planet.

• In the mid-20th century, humans on Earth began exploring their solar system via probes and, tentatively at first, with manned missions. Earth's moon was the first object in the Sol system to be visited by humans -- at least, according to the official historical record (DW: Blink, et al). Later, missions to Mars (DW: The Ambassadors of Death, The Waters of Mars) and other planets occurred. For much of the century, the general public believed there to have been nine planets, although a change in the official definition of "planet" disqualified one of them, Pluto, to much controversy in the early 21st century (contemporary accounts); at some later date, Pluto's planetary status was restored (implied DW: The Sun Makers).

• Circa 2009 CE, Earth was forceably relocated to the Medusa Cascade by the Daleks. The relocation of Earth seemed to have no lasting effects on the Sol system; even Earth's Moon remained in place until the Doctor returned Earth to its proper position. (DW: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End). The end result of the incident was that the general populace of Earth were now aware of the existence of alien life (TW: Children of Earth: Day One, et al), ushering in the planet's increased presence in interstellar affairs from the 21st century onward (DW: The Christmas Invasion, TW: Everything Changes, et al)

• Around 2089, the Grandaughter of Captain Adelaide Brook decided to pilot the first ever lightspeed earth ship to Proxima Centuri, inspired by her Grandmother who blew up a base on Mars to save the human race. Soon after that, the human race started colonising other Star Systems.

• Sometime before 4000 CE, Mavic Chen assumed the position of Guardian of the Solar System. Chen's secret allies, the Daleks, at the same time proposed to conquer the Sol system. (DW: Mission to the Unknown, The Daleks' Master Plan)

• human scientists predicted solar flare activity would sterilize their homeworld, Earth and took measures to prepare. (DW: The Ark in Space)

• Circa 2,000,000, the Time Lords transported the entire solar system using a magnetron. (DW: The Mysterious Planet)

In some unknown way, the move once more devastated Earth, which less informed people attributed to solar flares.

• In the 57th segment of Time the last humans left on Earth evacuated the planet because of the increasing danger that it would fall into the Sun, they fled to planets such as Refusis II and Frontios. (DW: The Ark/Frontios) The now uninhabited Earth was preserved by the National Trust and over the billions of years following was restored to a 'classic Earth' before it was finally destroyed by the expanding sun in the year 5.5/Apple/26. (DW:The End of the World)

Comings and Goings

• During the time of the Silurians and Sea Devils, a rogue planet approached the orbit of their homeworld, Earth. (DW: Doctor Who and the Silurians) The Doctor tells the Silurians that instead of crashing into the earth, it became earth's moon.

We do not know whether or not this planetoid originated from outside the Sol system.

• Originally orbiting Sol at the same distance as Earth, Mondas left orbit and wandered out further into the Sol system. (DW: The Tenth Planet)

• As noted above, the Earth has been relocated at least twice in its history, only to be either shortly or eventually returned to its original location (DW: The Mysterious Planet and The Stolen Earth).

• The planetoid or moon Voga entered the solar system sometime after the construction of the Nerva Beacon. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen)

• Circa 5000, the Fourth Doctor destroyed Saturn's moon, Titan. (DW: The Invisible Enemy)

• In 2009, the Time Lord homeworld, Gallifrey, briefly materialized near the planet Earth, before being returned to its proper location. (DW: The End of Time)

Cultural and Religous Significance

• In 100,000 BC a tribe of early humans worshipped Sol as Orb. (DW: An Unearthly Child)

• In Mexico circa the 15th century, the timing of a solar eclipse had great religious significance. (DW: The Aztecs)

Solar System Objects

Planets, Dwarf Planets and Their Moons

Listed from closest to Sol to the most distant.

• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
  • The Moon
• Mondas
• Mars
  • Phobos
  • Deimos
• Ceres
• Planet 5
• Jupiter
  • Voga
• Saturn
  • Titan
• Uranus
• Neptune
• Pluto
  • Charon
• Cassius
• Planet 14

Other Natural Objects

• Asteroid belt
• Asteroid K4067
• Halley's Comet
• Kuiper belt

Artificial Satellites

• Nerva Beacon
• Space Station W3

Other Objects

• Nemesis

See Also

• Solar flares