Rogue planet


 * For the episode of, see .

A rogue planet is a planet that has broken out of its orbit around a star. However, such a planet may still be capable of supporting life due to geologic activities on it, such as hot gases venting from its interior, forming oases where lifeforms can thrive. The lack of a sun causes rogue planets to exist in a state of perpetual night.

The in the Omarion Nebula in the Gamma Quadrant was an example of such a planet. 

In 2151, Jonathan Archer and the crew of  discovered a rogue planet named Dakala that was used as a hunting ground by the Eska, whose people had come to the planet for nine generations to kill the indigenous species. Using sensing cloaks which prevented them from being detected, the Eska were able to successfully track down their prey. As it turned out, this "prey" was in fact a sentient species of telepathic shapeshifters, called wraiths by the hunters, who were being killed by the Eska for sport. 

In 2371, the USS Voyager discovered a rogue planetoid that they thought contained dilithium deposits. In reality, however, it was being used by the Vidiians as an organ lab. 

By 2373, Q had taught his son how to knock small planets out of orbit.