Sanghelios

Sanghelios is the homeworld of the Sangheili species. Sanghelios is the fourth planet in the Urs system, a triple star system containing Urs, Fied, and Joori. The planet has two moons called Qikost and Suban.

Background
Sanghelios has a gravity of 1.375 Gs, and an average surface temperature of -5°C to 96°C (23°F to 204.8°F). The Bestiarum indicates that Sanghelios is similar to Earth in shape and proportion, though the land masses are more scattered in relation to bodies of water. Like Earth, its atmosphere consists of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, but also has a reddish hue to it, perhaps indicating large amounts of hematite or molten rock. The oceans are tinted red.

Many Forerunner artifacts and structures exist on the planet, which are the topic of worship, as well as the cause of historical wars between the Sangheili and the San 'Shyuum before the formation of the Covenant.

Being a homeworld, the planet is inhabited by approximately 8.132 billion Sangheili. As with the nature of Sangheili governments in general, Sanghelios has no global capital and most of the planet's inhabitants live in states led by and named after a particular Sangheili family. These states vary greatly in size and wealth, ranging from small, rural ones to urban city-states like Ontom, which mix old Sangheili architecture and modern, Covenant-era structures. Outside the cities, Sanghelios' landscape has stayed mostly unchanged for several millennia; the terrain is mostly agricultural, and the keeps mostly follow ancient, pre-Covenant architectural styles.

In March 2553 much of the northern hemisphere of Sanghelios was engulfed in a civil war between the Servants of Abiding Truth and the forces loyal to Arbiter Thel Vadam.

Locations
Ground locations
 * Acroli
 * Lacalu Keep
 * Nes'alun Keep
 * Alytcos
 * Kaepra
 * Lodam
 * Mdama
 * Bekan Keep
 * Curo Keep
 * Ontom
 * Temple of the Abiding Truth
 * Thasanee
 * Tolvuus
 * Yermo
 * Iruiru
 * Iruiru Armory
 * Vadam
 * Vadam Keep
 * Vadam Harbor
 * Kolaar Mountain
 * Unidentified Sangheilian desert

Orbital locations
 * Ranarum Orbital Platform
 * Aanrar Shipyard

Notable residents

 * Fal 'Chavamee
 * Haka
 * Han 'Chavamee
 * Thel 'Vadam
 * Usze ‘Taham
 * Toha ‘Sumai
 * Rtas 'Vadum
 * Avu Med 'Telcam
 * Jul ‘Mdama
 * Levu 'Mdama
 * Forze
 * Raia 'Mdama

Trivia

 * The name "Sanghelios" comes from the Latin sanguis and the Greek helios meaning "Blood-Sun". It is implied that this may refer to the emphasis on blood in the culture of the warrior Sangheili that live there.
 * In the Doctor Who episode "Planet of the Dead", the planet they are teleported to is called San Helios, which is also part of a triple star system.
 * In Halo: The Cole Protocol, Sanghelios is mistakenly referred to as "Sanghelion" in chapter headings.

Gallery
 File:AncientSangheili.png|Ancient Sangheili on the surface of Sanghelios. File:Duel Sangheilios 2.jpg|A duel between Fal 'Chavamee and a rivaling Sangheili in forest terrain on Sanghelios. File:Sangheilios Duel 1.jpg|An expansive horizon of Sanghelios. File:Elite Housing.jpg|Relatively old Sangheili architecture. File:Sangheilos moon.jpg|An image of either Suban or Qikost, both of which are Sanghelios' natural satellites. File:Thereturntraining.jpg|The future Shipmaster of the Fleet of Righteous Vigilance, duelling with a fellow clanmate on Sanghelios. File:Pseudo Cephalopod.jpg|An unknown aquatic creature which inhabits Sanghelios. It is currently preying upon a Sangheili submerged within water. File:Sanghelios.jpg|Sanghelios as seen in the Bestiarum. 

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * The Return
 * Halo Legends
 * Origins
 * The Duel
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: The Thursday War