Questions about the Firefly Universe
POSTED BY: Valdron
UPDATED: Sunday, November 20, 2005 21:19
VIEWED: 7518
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Hi,
I was once a proponent of the multiple system theory, and fought for this idea using the tiny clues scattered throughout the series. If Joss had always thought of using one system, I suspect that he did not bother to tell all the writers.
The theory that I am currently operating under is that Joss didn't know or care about the science, and it has since been retro-fitted.
In the official role-playing game, they have a list of all Alliance worlds/moons. I think that they include all the places we have heard about, but I've not tried to cross-reference them. Let's see, there are... 40 with names, and three grouped under the name "border moons".
The best cannonical source has to be that quickly seen map that is mostly obscured by the Teacher at the beginning of the movie. It does not seem to support the multiple sun system idea, which I could otherwise go for.
One possible way to make this work is to have planet-sized moons orbiting superjovian planets in the habitable zone. You might get a bunch of those. Many folks have argued that "moons" are too small, but the definition of a moon is a body that orbits another non-sun body. A moon could be the size of the Earth, for example.
Anyway, I am afraid if you look too closely, the whole thing might fall apart.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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Hey, when the DVD of the BDM comes out, I'd be interested if anyone could get a screen capture of that solar system map behind the Teacher and post it here.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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Quote:
Originally posted by Valdron:
3) For instance, in our solar system, we've got three planet sized bodies occupying what's believed to be the habitable belt (Earth, Moon, Mars and Venus) there's one inside (Mercury), and there's a bunch of world sized bodies (Europa, Triton, Titan, Ganymede, Callisto, Io) way out in frozen territory around gas giants, and perhaps a handful way out in the Oort cloud where its really cold. But the Firefly universe has a crapload of planets.
Actually, according to the astronomy class I took last semester, only earth/moon is within the solar system's habitable belt. According to the prof, mars may have been in the past, but the gradual loss of the sun's energy (over the last 4.5 billion years) has shrunk the habitable zone to just earth (and we're on the far end of that as it is). Apologies if you're smarter than me.
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I wish I had a magical wish-granting plank.
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I'm not a physicist by any means, but it may well explain the amazing concentration of worlds in habitable zones.
In our solar system, the big rider is Jupiter, which acts as a cosmic vaccuum cleaner, scarfing up dust and debris, and riding. Jupiter and the other gas giants also corral most of the 'planet' sized bodies, leaving only a handful of inner system bodies (Earth and co), and a handful of trans-plutonians (Sedna and co).
The Serenity system on the other hand, may be quite inimical to Gas Giants. A Jovian body out at the distances of gas giants in our solar system may find itself perturbed or torn to pieces by the competing star systems. Its likely that there are only a couple of gas giants, and that by this time, they're largely black bodies between the stars in very eccentric orbits.
One effect of this is that most of what would be trans-plutonian or jovian 'small planet' bodies wind up flung into relatively close proximities around the orbiting stars. So everything gets jammed up into the habitable zones.
I'll bet we've got some fascinatingly unstable orbital dynamics going on, probably several double planet systems like Earth/Moon, trojan arrangements, etc.
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I won't claim to be smarter than you. But the assessment of the habitable zone is more a term of art than science.
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It is my understanding that the sun is getting gradually hotter, and that we will have an uninhabitable earth in about 100 million years.
This is not to be confused with the sun's red giant phase, which will begin in a mere 5 billion years or so, when all the hydrogen has been burned out of the core.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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Quote:
Originally posted by Valdron:
Bugger that. Any work of fiction has to have an underlying sense or logic. It's simply bad writing to change the rules or abandon the rules as you go along.
You're right that the work of fiction has to have some sort of underlying sense or logic. But the sense that it has to have is internal. The world has to be consistent in the context of itself. This means that River can't just have a new "power" whenever the crew gets in a scrape. It means Serenity can't just sprout guns. It means the having established that laser weapons are expensive, and rare and inefficient, then they stay that way. In short, it must be true to itself.
But it's ludicrous to suggest that every little thing has to be scientifically possible. It is the story that is the point, not the science. Bad science fiction makes the science the point (I'm looking at you, Star Trek, TNG). Good science fiction integrates story with science. Great science fiction uses the science as a mere vehicle to tell the story. Star Wars was a prime example of this. When does Han ever expound on the hyperdrive? Never! It doesn't bloody matter! Because the story is the point! From a certain point of view, I can understand if you're having suspension of disbelief issues on the basis of the science of the thing. But regretably, I can't get on board with you because Joss is not telling the story of the technology of the 'verse. He's telling the story of the crew of Serenity. Stop watching the technology and the science and start watching the story!
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I wish I had a magical wish-granting plank.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRealMe:
It is my understanding that the sun is getting gradually hotter, and that we will have an uninhabitable earth in about 100 million years.
This is not to be confused with the sun's red giant phase, which will begin in a mere 5 billion years or so, when all the hydrogen has been burned out of the core.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
I'm not sure that's correct. 100 million years is a very very tiny sliver of time in the life cycle of the sun. It's already 5 billion years old.
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a gun that turns Reavers into Nympho Virgin Pixie Cheerleaders? LOL. I want one! Does it work on Republicans. I'd much rather have a planet full of Nympho Virgin Pixie Cheerleaders than one full of Republicans. Of course, Republicans aren't Reavers. Reavers are more brutal but honest about it :-)
Jaytee
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A good story is a good story. But good science fiction requires that science figure into it somewhere. Otherwise, it is a thinly disguised police drama or western given the trappings of science fiction.
The science should not necessarily be the point of a good SF story, but it should be inegral to the story somewhere.
So, while I think that all of Firefly to date has consisted of good stories, I don't think it has all been good SF.
TheRealMe, First Officer of the Sereni-Tree
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