There are many different kinds (versions) of Stargates found in different types of the universe, with at least five (5) known varieties of Stargate (including the 'traditional', or older, style of Stargate encountered in the Milkyway & Ida Galaxies) known to exist; as follows:
The original idea for the Stargate itself, & it's accompanying Dial Home Device (D.H.D.), were conceived by the Alterran Ameilus using inspiration from a dream he had the night before their exodus from the Alteerran's home galaxy as they fled the oppression & religious frevor of the Orii. His invention would later have last impact & massive implications for the Milkyway Galaxy & the universe at large as he, he brethen & their descendants – whom would later become the Ancients – made their way to the Milkyway through the Ida Galaxy, settling there before going to explore the Pegasus Galaxy & beyond.
A massive, circular ring with an inner track of 39 symbols representing star constellations, capable of sending people and objects hundreds of thousands of lightyears via an interstellar conduit called a "wormhole." The Stargate, is made of the alien mineral naquadah & weighs about 64,000 pounds.
One side of the gate holds nine equally-spaced, V-shaped locking mechanisms, or "chevrons," capable of locking at least seven constellations in place via a freely-spinning inner track. The first six glyphs lock down a point in space, while the seventh represents the point of origin. When the seventh chevron locks, an unstable energy vortex emerges from the gate, incinerating everything in its wake. Once the vortex is gone and the event horizon is established, outbound travel may commence. Once objects have exited the other side, the Stargate has the capability of shutting itself off.
The Stargate network extends beyond our own galaxy, & includes many thousands of gates. Most gates are paired with a dial-home device (D.H.D.), by which a user dials an address to another world. The S.G.C. does not have a D.H.D., & instead has rigged a computer system to access the gate's systems and dial addresses.
In the Pegasus Galaxy, some Stargates have been placed in space in orbit of planets, rather than on their surfaces. Rather than using a connected D.H.D., space-based gates are powered by three power nodes, & dialing is accessed by a panel on a ship.
The Stargate is essentially an enormous superconductor, capable of harnessing power from a wide variety of energy sources, especially electricity. The inner track is a safety feature. When the gate has absorbed enough energy this track will unlock, allowing a manual dial in case something dire has occurred to the D.H.D. (Milkyway models only).
Milkyway Stargates:
These are the considered by many to be the first Stargate's ever constructed. Consisting of an outter ring of 9 triangular chevrons which 'frame' & 'lock' symbols on the inner track into 'place' when it spins; lighting up with an orange glow when 'engaged' (activated).
Ida Galaxy Stargates:The Stargate network seeded by the Ancients & spread by the Asgard in their home galaxy of Ida is similar to that used in the Milkyway (they also use the older Stargates encountered in the Milkyway), except that the chevrons on their Stargates & the Stargate addresses for worlds in their home galaxy are unique to the Ida galaxy itself. The SGC has obtained a list of these addresses to many worlds throughout the Ida Galaxy contained in the Asgard Core aboard the
Odyessy bequeathed to them by the Asgard when they committed mass suicide after their final attempt to rectify their cloning problem left each Asgard with a rapidly-deteriorating & incurable genetic disease; opening up the possibility for exploration of the Ida Galaxy for the SGC & it's allies.
Pegasus Galaxy Stargates:
Considered by some to be the 2nd generation, or version, of Stargates; Pegasus Galaxy Stargates are a newer, more 'updated' version of the Stargates previously encountered in the Milkyway.
Created with the latest technology & advances in Stargate science by the Lantean Ancients during their tenure in Atlantis before their war with the Wraith; Pegasus Galaxy Stargates have noticeable improvements & variations on their Milkyway counterparts.
Perhaps the most noticeable differences are blue chevrons (which light up when locked), along with an inner track of light that 'spins' to lock the symbols on the gate in place (unlike Milkyway Stargates, it is the inner track of lights which spin, not the actual inner, or 2ndry ring itself). Symbols on the gate & DHD resemble actual constellations (dots connected by lines) as opposed to the more traditional symbols found on MIlkyway gates.
Pegasus Galaxy Stargates are also faster at dailing & connecting than their Milkyway counterparts, with many in geo-synchronous orbit around many planets within the Pegasus Galaxy (dubbed 'space gates' by the Atlantis Expedition) & powered by Ancient energy pods & engaged by remote dialer aboard such ships as Ancient Puddle Jumpers or Wraith Darts.
Pegasus Galaxy Stargates are somewhat unique in that they can only dial other Stargates within the local group (
i.e.: in the same gaalxy), the one exception to this being the Atlantis Stargate itself; which possesses a master control crystal, allowing it to dial inter-galactic Stargate addresses, making it the only gate in the entire Pegasus network capable of dialing Earth. This so-called 'design flaw' seems to have been deliberately incorporated into the Pegasus Galaxy Stargates/DHD's in order to stop the Wraith from gaining access to other planets & other galaxies - such as Earth & the Milkyway - thus confining them to the Pegasus Galaxy in order to stop them spreading & feeding to other parts of the universe (although this would still not stop them from travelling to such destinations via starship it they had the co-ordinates to such worlds, even without the aide of inter-galactic hyperdrive capability).
It is theorized that Stargates in the Pegasus Galaxy could be capable of dialing inter-galactic addresses, such as Earth in the Milkyway or Othala in the Ida galaxy, if the Ancient master control crystal in Atlantis could be replicated & incorporated into a Pegasus Galaxy DHD (assuming all pre-requites, such as the correct gate address & the additional power requirements, where met); although this theory has yet be proven or tested.
Orbanian Stargate:
Who built the Orban Stargate is still a mystery - although it is safe to assume that it was the Ancients themselves, given that the Tollan are the only other species in modern times that have been known to have constructed their own working Stargate & the Orbanians freely acknowledge that their Stargate was already on Orban when they were brought there by the Goa'uuld centuries before - but it certainly does makes an impact with it's bold, metallic red colouring & equally uniquely coloured DHD.
Tollan Stargate:
Built using a combination of the Tollan's trinnium-based technology, a naqudah-laced conduction ring & various other resources; the Tollan Stargate combines the height of Tollan science with the knowledge of the Nox: the two societies working together to construct the Stargate on New Tollana. The Tollan Stargate is unique in that it, like the Orbanian Stargate, is the only one of it's kind known to exist.
Powered by their advanced fusion generators, formidable hand-held devices capable of providing (theoretically, at least) near-unlimited power & emitting almost no radiation; the Tollan Stargate is capable of connecting to virtually any Stargate in the inter-galactic gate system, theoretically making almost any civilization known to them within their reach (although Tollan power sources would still be nowhere near a match of a fully-powered ZPM!).
Activation is via a dialing computer or remote dialing mechanicism worn on the wrist of individual Tollan, similar to the methods used by Earth, the Asgard & the Ancients. Other similarities include the use of an energy shield-like 'iris' (similar to the energy shield which protects the Atlantis Stargate) in case of threat of invasion in the event that the Stargate cannot be shut down before an unauthorized incomming wormhole is established; as well as a lock-out protocol which shuts down the Stargate, preventing it's use. Re-activation & lifting of the lock-out protocol is restricted to members of the Curia & dually-authorized members of the various Tollan Ministries; further ensuring the safety & protection of the Tollan people.
The Destiny Stargate:[/u]
The Stargate aboard the Ancient vessel
Destiny is one of the oldest & earliest Stargate's ever created. Pearl-white in color, the Stargate's chevrons & the locking mechanisms
both light up when activated or dialing an address; the inner wheel spinning in a counter clockwise direction as the
entire outter ring of the Stargate spins in clockwise direction (like a spinning wheel).
The
Destiny's DHD is capable of multiple inputs from data collected about addresses from the Stargate networks within the galaxies in which the
Destiny is travelling & using the Stargate to dial these addresses in order to explore those planets into which it comes into contact/dialing range. The chevrons are capable of lighting up in different ways/combinations (depending upon the galaxy/Stargate network in which the
Destiny finds itself) in order to accomidate for these varying addresses/Stargate network via unique inputs from the
Destiny's DHD, facilitating exploration of a myraid of different planets as it explores the endless Stargate networks throughout the as-yet-unexplored regions of the universe, helping to forefilling it's never-ending mission as it explores the stars.
Alterran (Orii) Stargates:Although as-yet unseen by members of the SGC, it is assumed that the Alterrans have their own network of Stargates spread on worlds throughout their home galaxy; similar to those used in the Milkyway, Pegasus & Ida Galaxies, possibly created by, & given to them by, the Orii using Ascended knowledge.
The reasoning behind this theory dictates that the existence of a functioning Stargate network in the Alterran home galaxy must be a true - if not, then the probability is still highly likely - due to the fact that they began sending Priors through the Stargate to preach & convert worlds in the Milkyway Galaxy from their own galaxy before the arrival of their armies in force through the Supergate during the Orii's Holy Crusade of 2007/2008 A.D.
What these Stargates might look like is anyone's guess, although with the new peace accord signed by the Alterrans & their treaty with the galactic governments of the Milkyway, we may soon very well get a chance to find out!
Supergate:
Created by the Orii using Ascended knowledge, the Supergate (or Chappa'ko, as it called by the Goa'uuld/Jaffa/Tok'Ra) is a mammoth construct consisting of 48 segments - each peice of which can fit through a regular Stargate - arranged in a circular order, or ring, capable of utilizing the unlimited power of a black hole (which is the only know power source capable of power a gate that size between such vast distances) to allow the passage of starships near-instanteously between the Milkyway & Alterran Galaxies.
Blue arcs of energy form connectors between each segment of the Supergate once the activation (dialing) code is transmitted from a ship to the gate itself; connecting all 48 segements of the gate in a completed circuit before an in-comming or out-going wormhole can be established.
The incomming
'kwoosh!' is large enough to rip through even the most powerful of shields (including Ancient & Orii shield technology) & decimate, if not outright vapourise - any ship(s) caught in the unstable vortex of the form event horizon which extends several hundred thousand metres into space in front of the Supergate. For this reason, alll ships in the vacinity wishing to use Supergate must maintain a safe distance from the gate before activation, before they can pilot their ships through it to the Alterran Galaxy (or vice versa).
Thusfar the special dialing code (sequence) to activate the Supergate is only know to the Alterrans themselves (generally restricted to the Doci & the Priors, the High Council & certain members of the Holy Imperial Armed forces), the SGC (using intel obtain by Daniel Jackson when he was temporarily a Prior of the Orii) & a select, trusted group of their allies.
This restriction is in place ensures limited access to the Supergate & to control the flow of traffic, trade & vessels to & from the Alterran Galaxy (& vie versa); restricting & monitoring all activity through & around the Supergate on both sides at all times to prevent the outbreak of another war between the two galaxies, & forms apart of the peace accord signed between the Alterran Empire & various galactic powers of the Milkyway.
Other Stargates:It is currently unknown whether or not the Ancients have built any other type of Stargate, although the probability, if not the possibility, of other varieties of, designs or types Stargates is certainly one well worth considering, given the grand experiment & potential for exploration that the
Destiny represents - as always, the only thing that will tell; is time!
