Ariya Minor

Description of Site
The Ariya Minor system contains twenty-four planets and thrice that many moons and planetoids, as well as two asteroid belts and some unusual plasma rings around the blue sun itself. The system hosts a natural superlaser, referred to in Orion legends as “spear of the gods, piercing the worlds of Ariya’s Daughter.” Every 48.31 years, three belts of extremely dense crystalline objects suspended within the star’s trio of plasma rings move into alignment and catalyze each other to release their energy along a straight line. A significant amount of the star’s output is focused into a series of multi-yottawatt superlasers that fire outward across the system, melting continent-sized holes in the rocky planets deep into the mantles and setting entire gas giant atmospheres alight. The two asteroid belts are the remains of smaller planets that were utterly destroyed by this natural superlaser. The objects inside of the plasma rings that cause this effect have properties unlike those of any material known to science. Discovered by the Torbriel in 2320.Q2.M3.

Other Notes
While the superlaser effect occurs only ever 48 years (next expected in early 2368), the plasma ring effect is continuous and can be studied. Currently the station is in close solar orbit to be near the rings, though it will have to be moved before the next 2368 firing. Rumors are that agencies in Celos and Duaba are considering running interstellar tours of the system's natural wonders including the half-destroyed worlds and the plasma rings.