The Botany Bay colony was situated in the northern hemisphere, on the edge of a vast expanse of prairie land. Khan and his followers had chosen the location due to the herds of "Ceti bison" which roamed the landscape. The Augments intended to the use the animal as a food source as they established their colony. Unfortunately for the colonists, six months after arriving on the planet, its neighbor, Ceti Alpha VI, exploded which then changed the orbit and axis tilt of Ceti Alpha V. The planet went from being class M to class K and all life died save for the colonists and one native animal, the Ceti eel.