Sunday 26 August 2018

The Planet Where The Meteor Crash Landed

Poul Anderson, World Without Stars, VI.

Diameter 3% greater than Terrestrial;
weight 0.655 standard;
an old system so few heavy elements;
no metallic core;
sima to the center;
solar gravity has prevented satellites;
rotation slowed, then tides reversed it;
sidereal year 9.5 Terrestrial days;
3 weeks dark, 3 light;
mountains have eroded and not been replaced;
most planetary surface shallowly submerged;
solar radiation red and infrared;
steamy heat;
sea level atmosphere equivalent to a Terrestrial mountaintop;
photosynthesis probably based on an enzyme-chain process;
animals less energetic but no less active;
multiple hearts in dissected specimens;
intelligent, tailed bipeds in canoes.

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