Clouds are white if they are steam, black if they are volcanic smoke and grey and lightning-riven if they are meteorological. Melting glaciers cascading from mountain ranges flood stony plains lashed by earthquakes, wind and rain. Cold air transforms vapours into continent-covering mists which are dispersed by tornadoes and gales. Island-sized icebergs crash and destroy each other under monstrous waves. The thin upper atmosphere is turbulent enough to rock a descending spaceship as the noise penetrates her hull.
David Falkayn names the planet "Satan" because of its interactions between fire and ice. One of his granddaughters will name another planet "Avalon." The Falkayns leave their mark. And I am trying to summarize and communicate some of Poul Anderson's descriptions of the natural drama of cosmic events.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And that is what I believe will happen in real interstellar exploration: planets will be given names taken from religion, history, mythology, legends, literature, etc.
Ad astra! Sean
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