Hercules Dwarf

Hercules, Dwarf spheroidal galaxy
 * UAC: HER-dsg
 * Union Presence: yes
 * Union Members present: Yes
 * Traffic Connection: Gates

Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Hercules, or Her, is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy situated in the Hercules constellation and discovered for Earh Pre Astro in 2006 in data obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The galaxy is located at a distance of about 140 kpc from the Sun and moves away from the Sun with a velocity of about 45 km/s. It is classified as a dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph). It has a noticeably elongated (ratio of axes ~ 3:1) shape with a half-light radius of about 350 pc. This elongation may be caused by tidal forces acting from the Milky Way galaxy, meaning that HER-dsg is being tidally disrupted now. HER-dsg also shows some gradient of velocities across the galaxy's body and is embedded into a faint stellar stream, which also points towards its ongoing tidal disruption.

Satellite of the Milky Way
Her is one of the smallest and faintest satellites of the Milky Way—its integrated luminosity is about 30,000 times that of Pluribus (absolute visible magnitude of about −6.6),[note 2] which is comparable to the luminosity of a typical globular cluster. However, its total mass is about 7 million solar masses, which means the galaxy's mass to light ratio is around 330. A high mass to light ratio

The stellar population of HER-dsg consists mainly of old stars formed more than 12 billion years ago.The metallicity of these old stars is also very low at [Fe/H] ≈ −2.58 ± 0.51, which means that they contain 400 times less heavy elements than Pluribus. The stars of HER-dsg were  among the first stars to form in the Universe. Currently there is no star formation in HER-dsg. Measurements have so far failed to detect neutral hydrogen in it—the upper limit is 466 solar masses. Distance 503,000 LY Hercules has an elongated shape.

Local Group Survey Project
As a member of the local group, HER-dsg was targeted for a physical survey as part of the of the Local Group Survey Project, first conceived in 4956 OTT. Due to its distance to M-0 of 503,000 LY it would take a ship 26.8  years to reach it. It was decided the HER-dsg is of low priority mostly due to the distance and small size. While it was within reach of Union tech (modified ship) it was deemed a secondary survey target.

Ancient Gate Network Period
After the activation of the Ancient Gate Network in 5049 OTT and the Gate Network Mapping program, HER-dsg was finally surveyed by a Gate Mapping expedition (Gate Survey Group 27 ) consisting of four HALD explorers and 4 modified Golden Spheres under the lead of Captain Sharku Magkeh (Asher). HER-dsg was accessed via an Ancient Gate Connection from Leo I. The survey expedition came across the Stone Old and the Cold Old. Two symbiotic societies of Entity Class 6 = Beings on the Verge or in the process becoming an Entity Narth and Coven envoys were sent to establish better contact. Fourteen space faring societies of TL 7+ forming the Servants of the Stone Cold. Contact Level to the Servants and the Stone Cold was at first CL-2 but after Narth and Coven contact, the Cold Old (Class 6) recommended Union membership to all Servants. PUMA process was immideatly started. (5058 OTT)

There are six known Trans Spatial Gates in the HERCULES Dwarf (5050 OTT )
1 HERCULES-LEO1......| GT 3 | Gate name : HERLEO1 ......|Gatehouse :CATHOUSE ........|SSS:HERDEPOT 2 HERCULES-NGC6882...| GT 3 | Gate name : HERBARNARDS...|Gatehouse :ToBARNARDSGAL....|SSS:HERDEPOT 3 HERCULES-LEOA......| GT 3 | Gate name : HERLEOA.......|Gatehouse :GH-HERCULES 3....|SSS:HERDEPOT 4 HERCULES-IC4662....| GT 3 | Gate name : LGEXIT........|Gatehouse :LOCALGROUP EXIT..|SSS:Camp Fo 5 HERCULES-VV142.....| GT 3 | Gate name : HERNGC 5579...|Gatehouse :GH-HERCULES 5....|SSS:HERDEPOT 6 HERCULES-SEXTANSB..| GT 3 | Gate name : HERSEXB.......|Gatehouse :GH-STONECOLD.....|SSS:HERDEPOT

Note:
Gate LGEXIT connects to the seven million LY distant IC4662, no longer a Local Group galaxy. This gate is the beginning of the Road to Nowhere

As of 5050
Hercules dwarf is busy with Union activity. The traditional Station Support Systems are noot needed as local Union members provide the back up. The Cold Planet and the Planet of Minds have become centers of scholastic knowledge.