Altair IV

Altair IV, is a fictional planet featured in the classic science fiction film Forbidden Planet. It is a rocky terrestrial world that can support life because it has an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and an approximate Earth gravity field. The planet was home to Doctor Edward Morbius Ph.D. philologist (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis) the only survivors of the ill-fated Bellerophon Expedition. The one other inhabitant was the "Remarkable Gentleman" Robby the Robot.

The planet was once home to the great non-human Krell civilization before they annihilated themselves. It was visited in 2381 by the United Planets Cruiser C-57D, captained by Cmdr J.J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen), with Exec Officer Lt J.P. Farman (Jack Kelly) & ship's physician Dr C.X. Ostrow (Warren Stevens). The ship was dispatched to Altair IV, located in the star-system Alpha Aquilae, to search for survivors of the Bellerophon Expedition, lost some twenty years before.

The Novel

 * The film is based on the novel by W.J. Stuart, and approaches the story as chapter narrations, from the viewpoints of each of the main characters: Cmdr Adams, Dr Morbius, & ship's medical officer Dr Ostrow.
 * Early in the story, the C-57D Cruiser, launched on it's 10 year voyage (one year to the crew on-board) in 2371, reaches over 600 million MPH (.893c) in the flight to the Altair star system.
 * Before the C-57D's landing, preliminary findings held that the gravity is .897 of Earth's & that the oxygen level is 4.7 richer. On the ground, ship's engineer Chief Alonzo Quinn notes that broken pieces from nearby blue-gray stalagmite rocks were lighter than pumice, but harder than granite. The planet's soft, heady atmosphere, lit by turquoise sunlight, is described as being so full of oxygen, a breeze would be felt, even when there wasn't one. Also, parts of the desert ground around Morbius' home are covered by a gold-hued grass, with green-gray mountains & deep blue water rivers in the distance. Nearby trees & plants appeared somewhat Earth-like, except for color, shape & foliage. At night, the planet's two moons reflect turquoise light onto the distant mountains, giving them a copper color.