Aurora (planet)
Encyclopedia
Aurora is a fictional planet in Isaac Asimov
's Robot Series
. It was the first world settled by the Spacers
, originally named 'New Earth'; it was located 3.7 parsec
s (12 light years) from Earth.
was mankind's very first extrasolar planetary settlement, established at some point between the discovery of the hyperspatial jump in 2031 A.D. and the year 2064 A.D. when numerous extrasolar colonies were mentioned by Susan Calvin
during an interview given in that year. In later millennia, the planet would be renamed "Aurora," which means "dawn," to signify the dawning of a new age for the Spacer culture. It was also considered the strongest of the Spacer worlds, and was their de facto leader.
Aurora at its height had a population of 200 million humans and 10 billion robots. The head of its planetary government was called the "Chairman." The largest city on the planet was Eos, the administrative and robotic centre of Aurora where Han Fastolfe and Gladia Solaria lived. The University of Eos and the Auroran Robotics Institute were both in Eos. We see the planet at its height in The Robots of Dawn
. It was famous among the Spacer worlds for its grape juice.
, we learn that at least some of its inhabitants emigrated to Trantor
, settling in the Mycogen Sector. The descendants of the Aurorans, or Mycogenians, never forgot Aurora, but they apparently evolved to the point where they were indistinguishable from Settlers.
In Foundation and Earth
, the searchers for Earth visit Aurora, along with other ancient settlements. The planet is by then not inhabited by human beings, and its declining ecology is dominated by savage dogs.
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Robot Series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series is a series of short stories and novels by Isaac Asimov featuring positronic robots.- Short stories :Most of Asimov's robot short stories are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration...
. It was the first world settled by the Spacers
Spacer (Asimov)
In Isaac Asimov's Foundation/Empire/Robot series, the Spacers were the first humans to emigrate to space. About a millennium thereafter, they severed political ties with Earth, and embraced low population growth and extreme longevity as a means for a high standard of living, in combination with...
, originally named 'New Earth'; it was located 3.7 parsec
Parsec
The parsec is a unit of length used in astronomy. It is about 3.26 light-years, or just under 31 trillion kilometres ....
s (12 light years) from Earth.
Origins & development
In Asimov's fictional universe the innermost planet orbiting Tau CetiTau Ceti
Tau Ceti is a star in the constellation Cetus that is spectrally similar to the Sun, although it has only about 78% of the Sun's mass. At a distance of just under 12 light-years from the Solar System, it is a relatively close star. Tau Ceti is metal-deficient and so is thought to be less likely to...
was mankind's very first extrasolar planetary settlement, established at some point between the discovery of the hyperspatial jump in 2031 A.D. and the year 2064 A.D. when numerous extrasolar colonies were mentioned by Susan Calvin
Susan Calvin
Dr. Susan Calvin is a fictional character from Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. She was the chief robopsychologist at US Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century...
during an interview given in that year. In later millennia, the planet would be renamed "Aurora," which means "dawn," to signify the dawning of a new age for the Spacer culture. It was also considered the strongest of the Spacer worlds, and was their de facto leader.
Aurora at its height had a population of 200 million humans and 10 billion robots. The head of its planetary government was called the "Chairman." The largest city on the planet was Eos, the administrative and robotic centre of Aurora where Han Fastolfe and Gladia Solaria lived. The University of Eos and the Auroran Robotics Institute were both in Eos. We see the planet at its height in The Robots of Dawn
The Robots of Dawn
The Robots of Dawn is a "whodunit" science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, first published in 1983. It is the third novel in Asimov's Robot series.It was nominated for both the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1984.- Plot summary :...
. It was famous among the Spacer worlds for its grape juice.
Later history
In Prelude to FoundationPrelude to Foundation
Prelude to Foundation is a Locus Award nominated 1988 novel written by Isaac Asimov. It is one of two prequels to the Foundation Series. For the first time, Asimov chronicles the fictional life of Hari Seldon, the man who invented psychohistory and the intellectual hero of the series.-Plot...
, we learn that at least some of its inhabitants emigrated to Trantor
Trantor
Trantor is a fictional planet in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series and Empire Series of science fiction novels.Trantor was first described in a short story by Asimov appearing in Early Asimov Volume 1. Later Trantor gained prominence when the 1940s Foundation Series first appeared in print . Asimov...
, settling in the Mycogen Sector. The descendants of the Aurorans, or Mycogenians, never forgot Aurora, but they apparently evolved to the point where they were indistinguishable from Settlers.
In Foundation and Earth
Foundation and Earth
Foundation and Earth is a Locus Award nominated science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, the fifth novel of the Foundation series and chronologically the last in the series...
, the searchers for Earth visit Aurora, along with other ancient settlements. The planet is by then not inhabited by human beings, and its declining ecology is dominated by savage dogs.
Statistics
- Star
- Spectral Class: G-4
- Mass: .9 that of SolSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
- Planet (Tau Ceti I)
- Inclination: 16º
- Period of Rotation: .93 Galactic Standard Days
- Period of Revolution: .95 Galactic Standard Years
- Satellites: TithonusTithonusIn Greek mythology, Tithonus or Tithonos was the lover of Eos, Titan of the dawn. He was a Trojan by birth, the son of King Laomedon of Troy by a water nymph named Strymo . The mythology reflected by the fifth-century vase-painters of Athens envisaged Tithonus as a rhapsode, as the lyre in his...
, Tithonus II