A thick atmosphere gave the planet a hazy, gray appearance from space. It was orbited by two natural satellites and positioned close to the system's asteroid belt.
The planet was first discovered by the Galactic Republic's Third General Survey in 145 BBY. One of Brath Qella's natural satellites was stuck in an irregular orbit that put it on an collision course with the planet's second moon. Aware of their impending destruction, the Qella built the vessel known as the Teljkon Vagabond as a means of escape and eventual restoration of their species and homeworld.
By the time the planet's discovery had been logged, it determined worth detailed surveying and an exploratory team dispatched, the moons had collided and pummeled Brath Qella with asteroid-sized debris, plunging the world into a deep ice age in . The exploratory team deemed the planet unworthy of exploration and the world was forgotten by the Republic.
At the height of the New Order, the Tobek rediscovered the planet and named it Maltha Obex. Once Lando Calrissian and his team discovered the link between the vagabond and Brath Qella, the Tobek's claim was nullified by the New Republic. Two researchers from the Obroan Institute for Archaeology, Kroddok Stopa and Josala Krenn, established a dig site to collect genetic data on the Qella. They were able to support Calrissian's thesis, but were killed in an repulsorlift-induced avalanche before support could arrive. When Joto Eckels arrived with Penga Rift, he recovered the bodies of his contemporaries and excavated several frozen Qella bodies, which were later returned to Hiram Drayson for Alpha Blue research.
When the vagabond finally returned to the Qella system, it used its energy beams, formerly believed to be defensive weapons, to begin the process of thawing Brath Qella from its premature ice age. Once the planet was ready, the vessel would deposit the Qella's genetic material stored onboard on the planet to restart the species.