Rigel IV was the inhabited fourth planet of the Rigel system in the Alpha Quadrant. It was home to the Rigel IV natives, including the Hill People, and had deposits of boridium and murinite. (TOS: "Wolf in the Fold")
History[]
Humans began moving to Rigel IV after 2156. (TOS: "Wolf in the Fold")
In 2266, the Redjac entity possessed Hengist, a native of Rigel IV, and killed several women on the planet. He was never caught and was only known as "Beratis". On Argelius II, Redjac committed a murder with a knife from Rigel IV's Argus River region. (TOS: "Wolf in the Fold")
In the 24th century, a brilliant astronomer with a fondness for the Betazoid Ambassador Lwaxana Troi resided on Rigel IV. He named a star after Lwaxana, or so she claimed in 2367. (TNG: "Half a Life")
In mid-2370, Rigel IV hosted a nearly week-long conference on hydroponics attended by Keiko O'Brien. (DS9: "The Wire")
Rigel IV was also the site of a pergium refinery. During the Dominion War, a shipment of pergium en route to Rigel IV from the Sappora system had been destroyed by the Jem'Hadar. (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter")
Jack Crusher, under his alias "John Carson", was charged with impersonating an official on Rigel IV in the late 24th century. (PIC: "Disengage")
| Rigel system |
|---|
| Rigel |
| Rigel II • Rigel III • Rigel IV • Rigel V • Rigel VI • Rigel VII • Rigel X • Rigel XII • An asteroid belt |
| See also: • Beta Rigel • Rigel Beta |
Appendices[]
Background information[]
This planet was only mentioned in dialogue.
This planet's quadrant of origin is inferred based on the position of its star system as seen in the star chart appearing in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
According to StarTrek.com, Rigel IV was a M-class Federation world. [1]
Assuming it was in the same system as Rigel X, it was presumably located less then ninety light years from Earth. This is because Enterprise visited Rigel X before it visited Risa, which in "Two Days and Two Nights" was said to be ninety light years away and the furthest Humans had ever traveled from their home.
A question, which was not seen on screen, from Spock's memory test in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home established that Rigel IV at one point signed a peace treaty with Argus. The treaty was important because it set a legal precedent that, "All beings may not be created equal yet shall be given equal opportunity and treatment under the law." [2]
Apocrypha[]
According to Star Trek: Star Charts (pp. 52, 59, "United Federation of Planets I"), Rigel IV, also known as Beta Rigel IV, was an M-class planet. The planet was a member planet of both the United Rigel Colonies (β) and the United Federation of Planets. Rigel IV was admitted, along with the United Rigel Colonies, to the Federation in 2202.
The novel Tower of Babel depicted Rigel IV as the homeworld of the Zami, who were the Vulcanoid Rigelians mentioned in "Journey to Babel" and "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges". The Zami of Rigel IV as well as the Chelons of Rigel III were introduced to spaceflight by the Jelna of Rigel V. By the 22nd century, they had united as the system-spanning United Rigel Worlds and Colonies, which were admitted into the Federation in 2164.
External links[]
- Rigel IV at StarTrek.com
- Rigel IV at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works