Rigel system

The Rigel system was an inhabited planetary system consisting of at least twelve planets around its primary Rigel. An asteroid field was located 2 days away at impulse speed from Rigel XII. This system was home to the Rigel, or Rigellian, colonies. 

In the mid-23rd century, the Rigel system was part of the most densely populated section of the Milky Way Galaxy. The native species living in the system include the Rigelians of Rigel V, the similarly named Rigellians,  the Kalar of Rigel VII  and the Hill People of Rigel IV. By the mid-23rd century, there were also Humans living in the Rigel system. The Rigelian hypnoid and Rigellian ox were native animal species to the Rigel system. Ratana trees were from this system. 

The Barros Inn was known to be one of the wildest bars in the system. Rigelian chocolates and the Rigelian flame gem are other items from this system, as are the diseases Rigelian fever and Rigelian Kassaba fever. Moon over Rigel VII was a song with fairly simple lyrics, inspired by a natural satellite of Rigel VII. 

The substance selgninaem was processed in this system for use as a catalyst in industrial biochemical substances. 

List of planets

 * Rigel (primary)
 * Rigel I
 * Rigel II
 * Rigel III
 * Rigel IV
 * Rigel V
 * Rigel VI
 * Rigel VII
 * Rigel VIII
 * Rigel IX
 * Rigel X
 * Rigel XI
 * Rigel XII

History
By the mid-22nd century, this system had been charted and explored by several species including the Klingons and the Vulcans. Both races knew it as Rigel. In 2151, the system became known to Humans as well, when Captain Jonathan Archer used Vulcan star charts to plot a course there. The Rigel system was the first star system visited by the, the first Earth starship with the warp 5 engine, after it departed from the Sol system. The Rigel colony on Rigel X was a popular trade complex at the time, visited by numerous species. 

By the mid-2150s, Rigelians from Rigel V were visiting Earth. In early 2155, the Rigelians participated in talks discussing their wish to join as a possible member in the Coalition of Planets along with Humans, Tellarites, Andorians, Coridans, Denobulans, and Vulcans. 

In 2254, a landing party from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was attacked by the native Kalar warriors on Rigel VII. By the 24th century, the Kalar castles of Rigel VII had become tourist attractions. 

In 2266, several women on Rigel IV were murdered by Redjac. During the same year, Harcourt Mudd, using the illegal Venus drug, attempted to sell Eve McHuron, Ruth Bonaventure and Magda Kovacs to lithium miners on Rigel XII. 

Some time before 2267, Leonard McCoy visited Rigel II where he met two female cabaret dancers. 

In 2267, the Rigel system had a population in the millions. This system was threatened by the planet killer until the combined efforts of the starships USS Constellation (NCC-1017) and USS Enterprise destroyed the extragalactic doomsday weapon. 

In 2327, Ensign Jean-Luc Picard had a two dates on Starbase Earhart with Penny Muroc who was from the Rigel system. 

In the 2360s, Starfleet Academy cadets of the Nova Squadron won the Rigel Cup, where fighter pilots compete for piloting excellence. 

During the Dominion War, Federation had a pergium refinery on Rigel IV. 

In an alternate future, Geordi La Forge was living with his wife and children on Rigel III.

Location
The Rigel system was located between Sol and Argelius II in the Kandari sector, a region of space in the Alpha Quadrant. Nearby star systems included L-370 and L-374. (, production art; display graphic) The system was located within 90 light years of the Sol system. 

The location of the Rigel system had been depicted in several Federation star charts. A large star chart depicted the location of Rigel in the Milky Way Galaxy in 2293. (, production art) In 2367, the location of Rigel was depicted on a tactical situation monitor in Captain Benjamin Maxwell's ready room on the USS Phoenix. One star chart depicted Rigel near Vega. This chart was displayed in astrometrics on USS Voyager in 2376. 

In an alternate 2366, Rigel was marked on a tactical situation monitor showing the fleet deployments in the Federation-Klingon War. ( display graphic)

Background information
According to Startrek.com, Rigel was located in the Alpha Quadrant. This is also confirmed in "The Explored Galaxy" star chart, where Rigel was located between the Tholian Assembly and Romulus. Both of which were identified in as being located in the Alpha Quadrant.

In the real world, the star, or Beta Orionis, was a star located 773 light years from the Earth in the constellation Orion While this constellation was seen on screen in and on a constellation star chart in the. The Rigel in Star Trek was apparently not a star named by Humans, since Vulcans and Klingons used this name in their native languages and the location of the system was not known to Humans before it was learned from the Vulcan star charts in.

According to the reference book The Worlds of the Federation (page 36), the Rigel system and the Orion system are one and the same. Rigel VIII being the homeworld of the Orion species. According to the book, Rigel II and Rigel IV were colonized by Humans. According to Star Trek Maps (Chart D), the Rigel system was located around the real star Beta Orionis. The chart also references Rigel VIII as the planet Orion.

According to the reference book Star Trek: Star Charts (pgs. 36, 45, 59, "United Federation of Planets II"), there were in fact two systems that were called the Rigel system. These were Beta Rigel and Beta Orionis.


 * Beta Rigel was a star named by Earth astronomers for its perceived proximity to Beta Orionis. Beta Rigel was a spectral type A5V star with an absolute magnitude of 6.2. The Beta Rigel System was in fact located relatively close to the Sol system and was explored in the mid-22nd century. Of the ten planets in this system, four of them were classified as M class. In the mid-22nd century, the Beta Rigel system was a destination on the Vulcan space lanes. In 2151, the  visited this system on its maiden voyage. The system, in 2378, was a destination on the major space lanes, and the system's inhabited planets were Federation members.


 * Beta Orionis also known as Rigel was a binary star system. Rigel A was a B class star with a magnitude of -7. Rigel B was a B class star. Beta Orionis was located 773 light years from the Sol system, in non-aligned space in the Beta Quadrant.

Apocrypha
According to the Last Unicorn Games and Decipher role-playing games, the Rigellians are known as "Chelarians" and they are from Rigel III.