This is the planet Lilithia, set against the backdrop of its home star system, orbiting its sun, Keilthyn. The planet is the setting of a story idea I had a LONG time ago, and never quite got around to actually writing. It's a very warm and temperate world, dotted with small islands and dominated by a large super continent wrapping around its equator. The north pole has a large island/continent covered by glaciers, while the south pole has frozen into a sporadic series of ice sheets and bergs. The vast majority of the continent is covered by dense forest and jungle, and filled with an over-sized ecosystem. The hostility of this system has led the main intelligent life-forms of the planet - the Lilithians, go figure - to split. Small tribes of one faction live apart from the rest of the civilization in constant danger from the surrounding life, while the main faction clusters together in and around a series of 17 large city-states. These units centralize around large city/structures of uncertain origin, protected by large energy shields.
The Lilithian System exists near the center of one of the galactic arms, and as such the surrounding space is nearly devoid of other habitable systems (due to undesirable stresses found closer to the galactic core). However, it also finds itself relatively near to the routes of travel frequented by many star-faring races. Of course, 'near' is a relative term in celestial terminology, and most travelers would have little reason to stray from their course. The planet is for the most part without visitors.

I started getting the idea to do a celestial scene a while back, but had no idea how to go about it. Then my friend had me do some concept art for them <.< Several moderately useful tutorials later, here I am. Critique highly encouraged, since I'd like to get better at this.

PS brushes by
ObsidianDawn
Thank you very much!