Read Online Stellarium (Origins): A Space-Time Adventure to the Ends of our Universe by Fabricio Simoes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Fabricio Simoes
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cause problems during our trip home, it will
surely will be an issue when it comes time for re-entry.
“Russell, Frank, come over here.
Take a look at this. I put together a compilation of what I found most
interesting about the planet,” said Allison.
They both hurried over as Allison
began to explain her selection: “You see this first photo of the planet’s
atmospheric horizon?” she asked. “Can you see that bluish color? That means
Sater’s atmosphere is composed of oxygen.”
“How interesting,” said Russell,
lost in thought.
“In this set of photos, we can
get a good look at the planet’s terrain,” she continued. “I think that, when
Valkiria was still a dwarf star, like our sun, there were huge oceans on Sater.
In fact, I think the planet was located quite far away from the star, but that
the star’s radiation levels were twice as strong as our sun’s, which was enough
to keep Sater’s water in liquid form. But, when Valkiria finished consuming all
of its hydrogen and started to grow, thus turning into a red giant, Sater fell
out of balance. The water evaporated, its volcanoes probably erupted due to a
change in gravity, and I think its orbit was probably even altered. Later,
however, it looks like the planet was able to come back into balance again,
because although the star had grown, it started to emit much less energy than
before.”
Frank and Russell looked at the
photos, surprised and excited at the same time. They had never seen a planet
like this one.
It didn’t have any vegetation, nor
any sign of life. Nonetheless, given its terrain, it was clear that it had been
covered in oceans long ago. Its icecaps still contained a very small amount of
liquid water. The atmosphere was extremely dense. According to data collected
by the probe, there was plenty of water in gaseous form, probably a result of
past oceans, which continued to exist as water vapor.
They were able to identify very
distinct geographies: plains, valleys, mountainous regions, and even channels
that had probably once been rivers.
Like Saturn, the planet had
rings. Allison tried to imagine what the sunset would look like from that
planet: the image that came to mind was a huge, red star with two white rings
dancing across the sky. The only thing as beautiful as looking at that planet
from space would be looking out into space from that planet.
“Now, let me show you two very
interesting things I found. First, look at this,” said Allison, pointing to a
set of photos.
“What is that? That seems like a
really strange landscape,” said Frank. “Is that some kind of mountain?”
“This photo was taken with the
highest zoom on the probe. The planet’s atmosphere is covered in clouds, but we
were lucky enough to get this photo, which provides us with a very sharp image
of the planet’s ground,” explained the astronomer. “But, no, they don’t seem to
be mountains. See, this topography is distributed in an almost mathematical
fashion. It makes you think of the ruins of a city, right?”
“Wow! So, aliens live there?”
joked Frank.
Allison glanced at her colleague
with a disapproving look on her face.
“That really does seem to be a
very unique terrain. It looks just like the ruins of a city,” said Russell.
“And what’s the other interesting
thing you were talking about, Allison?” asked Frank.
“Well, look at this picture. It
was also taken with the probe’s highest zoom. However, unlike the previous
photo, there were a few clouds, which blurred the photo a bit... but take a
good look. You two have already been to the Space Station, so I’m sure you
spent plenty of hours looking down at Earth, right? What does that look like?”
Russell looked at the photo...
then Frank... and then they both looked at each other, until Russell said, “I
know what you’re trying to say, Allison, but I don’t think that’s what it is.”
“What about you, Frank? What do
you think?” she asked.
“Well, yes,
surely will be an issue when it comes time for re-entry.
“Russell, Frank, come over here.
Take a look at this. I put together a compilation of what I found most
interesting about the planet,” said Allison.
They both hurried over as Allison
began to explain her selection: “You see this first photo of the planet’s
atmospheric horizon?” she asked. “Can you see that bluish color? That means
Sater’s atmosphere is composed of oxygen.”
“How interesting,” said Russell,
lost in thought.
“In this set of photos, we can
get a good look at the planet’s terrain,” she continued. “I think that, when
Valkiria was still a dwarf star, like our sun, there were huge oceans on Sater.
In fact, I think the planet was located quite far away from the star, but that
the star’s radiation levels were twice as strong as our sun’s, which was enough
to keep Sater’s water in liquid form. But, when Valkiria finished consuming all
of its hydrogen and started to grow, thus turning into a red giant, Sater fell
out of balance. The water evaporated, its volcanoes probably erupted due to a
change in gravity, and I think its orbit was probably even altered. Later,
however, it looks like the planet was able to come back into balance again,
because although the star had grown, it started to emit much less energy than
before.”
Frank and Russell looked at the
photos, surprised and excited at the same time. They had never seen a planet
like this one.
It didn’t have any vegetation, nor
any sign of life. Nonetheless, given its terrain, it was clear that it had been
covered in oceans long ago. Its icecaps still contained a very small amount of
liquid water. The atmosphere was extremely dense. According to data collected
by the probe, there was plenty of water in gaseous form, probably a result of
past oceans, which continued to exist as water vapor.
They were able to identify very
distinct geographies: plains, valleys, mountainous regions, and even channels
that had probably once been rivers.
Like Saturn, the planet had
rings. Allison tried to imagine what the sunset would look like from that
planet: the image that came to mind was a huge, red star with two white rings
dancing across the sky. The only thing as beautiful as looking at that planet
from space would be looking out into space from that planet.
“Now, let me show you two very
interesting things I found. First, look at this,” said Allison, pointing to a
set of photos.
“What is that? That seems like a
really strange landscape,” said Frank. “Is that some kind of mountain?”
“This photo was taken with the
highest zoom on the probe. The planet’s atmosphere is covered in clouds, but we
were lucky enough to get this photo, which provides us with a very sharp image
of the planet’s ground,” explained the astronomer. “But, no, they don’t seem to
be mountains. See, this topography is distributed in an almost mathematical
fashion. It makes you think of the ruins of a city, right?”
“Wow! So, aliens live there?”
joked Frank.
Allison glanced at her colleague
with a disapproving look on her face.
“That really does seem to be a
very unique terrain. It looks just like the ruins of a city,” said Russell.
“And what’s the other interesting
thing you were talking about, Allison?” asked Frank.
“Well, look at this picture. It
was also taken with the probe’s highest zoom. However, unlike the previous
photo, there were a few clouds, which blurred the photo a bit... but take a
good look. You two have already been to the Space Station, so I’m sure you
spent plenty of hours looking down at Earth, right? What does that look like?”
Russell looked at the photo...
then Frank... and then they both looked at each other, until Russell said, “I
know what you’re trying to say, Allison, but I don’t think that’s what it is.”
“What about you, Frank? What do
you think?” she asked.
“Well, yes,
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