Taurus II was the inhabited second planet of its star system in the Alpha Quadrant. Classified as M class, this was the homeworld for a species of anthropoids.
The system was located in Murasaki 312, a quasar-like phenomena located three days away from Makus III at warp 1. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven")
History[]
As of 2267, the planet had remained unexplored by the Federation. Long-range scans had revealed basic characteristics of this planet, such as that it had an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere.
That same year, the shuttlecraft Galileo crash landed on Taurus II while attempting to investigate the Murasaki 312. The crew, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Spock, made first contact with the inhabitants, and lost crew members Latimer and Gaetano while on the surface.
The inhabitants of Taurus II were order 480-G anthropoids, similar to lifeforms discovered on Hansen's Planet but much larger, ten to twelve feet in height. They were at approximately a Stone Age level of technology, slightly less advanced than a tribal culture. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven")
Lieutenant Commander Ron Surma, a crewmember aboard the USS Enterprise-D, was born on this non-Federation planet. In 2369, his planet of origin was listed on the chart "USS Enterprise Personnel Database", which was displayed on a PADD accessed by Captain Jean-Luc Picard. (TNG: "The Chase", okudagram)
Appendices[]
Background information[]
This planet's quadrant of origin is inferred based on the position of Murasaki 312 as seen in the star chart appearing in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded".
This planet was named after the constellation Taurus. (Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 375) In fact, due to "Taurus" already being the name of a constellation when "The Galileo Seven" was written, Kellam de Forest suggested instead renaming this planet "Eta Tauri II" (in a series of research notes, dated 8 September 1966).
In the script of "The Galileo Seven", the surface of Taurus II was described as featuring "a sort of a crater, with overhanging rock walls jutting up against a dull featureless sky. The sky is a particularly bilious shade of green. Only a few scrubby plants are seen. It is a most unprepossessing sight." The script's stage directions also established that some areas on the planet's surface were to be misty.
The surface of Taurus II was depicted with a set on Desilu Stage 10.
Apocrypha[]
In the Star Trek Online tutorial mission for 23rd century Starfleet captains, the player leads an away team to find survivors from a Pioneer-class (β) science vessel that has crashed on Taurus II. The away team must repulse attacks from the indigenous Taureans and escape back to their ship in orbit with the survivors.
External links[]
- Beta Tauri II at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- Planets in TOS and TOS Remastered at Ex Astris Scientia