Pol

Pol/Data

Pol is the smallest of the five natural satellites of Jool. The terrain is (proportionally) quite rough, with large ridges that make it resemble a pollen grain.

Pol has the second-lowest surface gravity in the Kerbol system, and only Eve's moon Gilly is less massive. This makes bipropellant engines on a lander somewhat unnecessary - landing can be completed with RCS thrusters only. Landing on Pol may still be difficult to inexperienced pilots due to the hazardous terrain with mountains, canyons, etc. with 45° drops and jagged rocks, as well as its tiny sphere of influence.

In-game Description

“

This moon was especially hard to spot, as it looks just like a pollen grain, particularly when observed through telescopes based near dusty fields.

Pol was finally discovered when someone decided to write down the location of the pollen, after given up on yet another failed attempt to be rid of the smudge.

— Kerbal Astronomical Society

”

Orbit

Pol is in a large orbit around Jool with moderate eccentricity and inclination, which indicates it may be a captured asteroid, like Gilly and Bop. Pol is tidally locked to Jool.

Topography

Pol's uneven surface with Jool and Laythe in the background.

Pol has many unique characteristics. The surface is wrinkled and uneven. It has many spiked mountains and very large cliffs that can reach up to 4 km high, and many kilometers wide. Many mountain ranges are circular, and form bowl-shaped valleys. Its surface color ranges from brown over pale yellow to pale green. It appears to be composed of various phosphoric or sulfuric compounds and is covered in peculiar spire-shaped rocks.

But the surface of Pol is still not as irregular as that of Bop, despite lower gravity. This suggests volcanic activity that re-paved the surface, or that Pol was formed via low-velocity accretion at relatively low temperatures.

A rover is difficult to drive on the surface of Pol because of the uneven terrain and low gravity.

The terrain scatter on Pol looks a bit like spiky, twisted rocks.

Reference Frames

Time warp	Minimum Altitude
1×	Any
5×	5 000 m
10×	5 000 m
50×	5 000 m
100×	8 000 m
1 000×	12 000 m
10 000×	30 000 m
100 000×	90 000 m

An orbit under 3000 meters is unwise, as it will almost always result in colliding with a mountain, spire, or plateau.

Trivia

Pol's name is likely derived from its uncanny resemblance to a grain of pollen.
Pol's name may or may not have anything to do with the T.V. show The Incredible Dr. Pol on the National Geographic channel.

Gallery

A successful landing of a user created RCS Lander on Pol.
A map view of Pol contrasted to Jool.
A motion image of a Kerbalnaut enjoying Pol's outrageously low gravity.
A topographic height map of Pol as of Version 0.18.1 made with the ISA MapSat plugin.
A probe falling down a ridiculously steep hill on Pol.
A successful landing on Pol.
A probe lander looking into a dark, sinister looking mountain spire.
Spiky rocks on Pol's surface.
Jebediah Kerman floating in front of a large spacecraft while orbiting Pol. In the Background you can see Jool.