Nightfall: Can Kalgash Exist (2014)

71 10 2 years ago

We investigate the imaginary world of Kalgash, a planetary system based on the novel "Nightfall" (Asimov & Silverberg, 1991). The system consists of a planet, a moon and an astonishing six suns. The six stars cause the wider universe to be invisible to the inhabitants of the planet. The author explores the consequences of an eclipse and the resulting darkness which the Kalgash people experience for the first time. Our task is to verify if this system is feasible, from the duration of the eclipse, the "invisibility" of the universe to the complex orbital dynamics.

Oh that’s fun, Nightfall is a definitely one of my favorite sci-fi stories of that era. Still makes my spine tingle just thinking about the final passage.

bruce511• 2 years ago

Nightfall is justly famous, and recognised as one of the best short stories ever penned, and very much a pinicle of Asimovs impressive output.

It is interesting partly for being based on a discussion between editor (John W Campbell) and author based on no more than a quote from a poem by Emerson. That's all it takes. A simple quote taken and examined.

It's also interesting for being written when he was only 21. Did he "peak" then? I think not - his legacy stretches far beyond Nightfall, and to my mind his Laws of Robotics have a bigger impact on society, especially now.

But the story is remarkable for being unique, memorable, and self-complete. Yes, he expanded on the idea in 1990, but the story didn't need it, it was perfect as was.

Rest well, Good Doctor.

whartung• 2 years ago

It was made into a movie. Well, at least one movie.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095738/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5_tt_8...

It was really bad.

I paid money for it.

Did I mention it was really bad?

badcppdev• 2 years ago

The novel version. Also bad.

Karellen• 2 years ago

There was also that other movie which was... very much inspired by it

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134847/

That one is really good.

nextaccountic• 2 years ago

It is interesting partly for being based on a discussion between editor (John W Campbell) and author based on no more than a quote from a poem by Emerson. That's all it takes. A simple quote taken and examined.

What was the quote?

edit: it is in the linked paper, “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!”

davedx• 2 years ago

Reminds me I need to read “Against a Dark Background” again - similar theme!

lxe• 2 years ago

As I was exploring this topic, another good article popped up: https://planetplanet.net/2018/03/21/asimov-kalgash-take2/

Kurtz79• 2 years ago

Even being unable to see the eclipse live, I felt compelled to read Nightfall again, yesterday.

One of the things I appreciate about Asimov as a scifi author is that he never goes too deeply into explaining the science or physics of his novels (no technobabbles or midichlorians), he is more interested in the Big Ideas and characters.

I'm not sure that a world like Kalgash can exist, and many details about the story could be nitpicked to death, but it doesn't make it any less fascinating and complelling.

sinuhe69• 2 years ago

Nightfall is definitely an interesting read and I love the spirit of the paper. But I think one of the major features of the Kalagash system is its periodicity. The total eclipses may only happen in very long cycles to cause the cataclysmic panic in the story and the resulting collapse of the societies. And I think it's one of the most difficult prequisite to fulfill. Unfortunately, the authors had not attemped to consider whether such long periodicity could be possible.

Nightfall: Can Kalgash Exist (2014)

Related Stories