ffutures: (Planets of Peril)
ffutures ([personal profile] ffutures) wrote2009-05-11 04:25 pm

Asteroids in the Weinbaum universe

I finally finished off Mars for the Weinbaum RPG - did so by ditching a couple of thousand words which let me tie it off more effectively and will hopefully make it a more interesting read.

I need to write something about the asteriods in the Weinbaum universe, which is a little tricky since none of the stories go there and they are only mentioned twice, both times VERY briefly.

Since this is a fairly hard science universe I can't really justify breathable atmospheres etc. so descriptions will have a certain sameness -I think I'm going to confine myself to a list of a few that are interesting for one reason or another. Say the the first four discovered and a couple of the really eccentric ones such as Eros and possible one of the Earth-grazers. Preferably ones that were known in the 1930s, or could easily be discovered then. Any nominations?

[identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry - I really do mean fairly hard science. Otherwise I'd have the Clanger homeworld...
Edited 2009-05-11 18:11 (UTC)
ext_63737: Posing at Zeusaphone concert, 2008 (Default)

[identity profile] beamjockey.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
The largest Trojans?

[identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Good point - yes, that's probably a good one to include. Any suggestions on an exemplar?
ext_63737: Posing at Zeusaphone concert, 2008 (Default)

[identity profile] beamjockey.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Not without more googling...

[identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com 2009-05-11 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Many thanks!

[identity profile] jordan179.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Since this is a fairly hard science universe I can't really justify breathable atmospheres etc. ...

One proviso. Sufficiently big planetoids might have been terraformed (well, actually "aresformed") at some point in the past by the Thoth. The Thoth didn't have atomic energy so their powers would have been limited, but OTOH you wouldn't have to work as hard to make a planet only as habitable as even Weinbaum's Mars. However, I don't think that even the four biggies are big enough to hold an atmosphere by natural field very long, so they'd be only semi-habitable by now.

[identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
I really don't think I want to go this route - if I have them responsible for everything that's a little odd it'll end up being like Traveller, with the Ancients to blame for everything.

[identity profile] jordan179.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
Don't Earth-grazers in a pulpy universe sound just pre-adapted for mad scientists?

[identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com 2009-05-12 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Yes and no - fairly limited acceleration from their atomic drives, so actually getting to an earth grazer and doing something useful would not be a trivial exercise.