Terminus (planet)
Encyclopedia
Terminus is a fictional
planet
at the edge of the Galaxy
in Isaac Asimov
's Foundation Series, home of the Foundation (later capital of the Foundation Federation).
. Its nearest inhabited neighbor is Anacreon, 8 parsec
s (26 light years) away, and it lies approximately 10,000 parsecs from the capital of the First Galactic Empire, Trantor
, near the galactic center. It is believed to be the planet farthest from the galactic centre, hence its name: Terminus is Latin
for "end of the line".
There are almost no visible stars in its sky, only the huge lens of the Milky Way Galaxy. The nearby stars of the Province of Anacreon are known as "The Diamonds", with the expanse of the Galaxy described as "The Lens". The Ecliptic plane of Terminus appears to be near-perpendicular to its orbit around the Galactic nucleus, as the Lens is visible in the night sky throughout its year, while the Diamonds appearance appears to be seasonal. The visibility of the Magellanic Clouds is not discussed.
, culturally as well as in terms of technological prowess (see below).
Terminus's climate is mild. Like all known habitable planets it has a nickel-iron core which produces a significant magnetic field; however, it has almost no metal
s in its surface rocks
. In the Foundation's early years, steel was so valuable that it was used to coin money.
and became extinct in the wild
. However, breeding populations were conserved at various Universities.
Three other cities are known: Agyropol, Newton City, Stanmark (Arkady Darrell's hometown).
in fatal decline, Hari Seldon, inventor of the science of psychohistory
, predicted a 30,000 year interregnum of barbaric dark ages until the rise of a New Empire. So Seldon created a plan to shorten this interregnum from 30,000 years to 1,000 years.
Seldon asked Las Zenow, chief librarian of the Library of Trantor
to undertake a search to find a suitable planet, according to Seldon's criteria. Zenow, following a lengthy search, found Terminus, which had been uninhabited through the five centuries after its discovery.
Seldon manipulated the authoritarian Commission of Public Safety that ruled the Empire to exile his project to Terminus. The founding population consisted of 100,000 especially healthy scientists, whose ostensible purpose was to publish an Encyclopedia Galactica
. In actuality, their job would be to preserve science and technology, and to reconquer the Galaxy to form the Second Empire.
The lack of steel and limited natural resources forced Terminians to develop technologies of extremely high efficiency, as their knowledge due to their position as the inheritors of the Imperial Library allowed them to do so. The high technology and science of the foundation became its crucial strength in early confrontations, first against far larger local kingdoms that had broken away from the weakening empire but drastically regressed to pre-atomic technology; then powerful dictators with support from the dying core of the Empire itself, who had similar scientific ability to the Foundation but far more cumbersome, inefficient technology, having always relied on colossal resources.
Economically, at least for the first 500 years, they seem to have a massive surplus in labor. Toran Darrell II and Janov Pelorat were both described as men of modest means, one living off a stipend, the other a quiet academic in an unpopular field. Yet both men were able to afford a house servant (Poli for the Darrell household and Kloda for the Pelorat household). Poli in particular is shown at length to be very under-educated, speaking in a fashion that seems indicative of the antebellum South. Whether this is due to her inherent limits, a bizarre affectation or a lack of educational opportunities on Terminus is not explained. The labor saving devices as described would seem to be the equal or more of 20th century gadgets, and what the servants are supposed to do is not explained, though it describes them doing menial tasks such as setting out pre-made self-cooking dinners or opening doors.
In the later Foundation books, primarily Foundation's Edge
and Foundation and Earth
, Terminus is well on its way to being the capital of the Second Galactic Empire, using its massive technological advantage. This even threw a wrench into the plan of the Second Foundation
, as Terminus had managed to develop anti-mentalic technology, including a psychic barrier, which was strong enough to hold off at least temporarily Stor Gendibal's mentalic power, and with Gaia's help (had Golan Trevize chosen it) would have been indestructible to mental attacks.
Planets in science fiction
Planets in science fiction are fictional planets that appear in various media, especially those of the science fiction genre, as story-settings or depicted locations.-History:...
planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
at the edge of the Galaxy
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
in Isaac Asimov
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 Foundation Series, home of the Foundation (later capital of the Foundation Federation).
Position in the universe
Terminus is the sole planet orbiting an isolated starStar
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
. Its nearest inhabited neighbor is Anacreon, 8 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 (26 light years) away, and it lies approximately 10,000 parsecs from the capital of the First Galactic Empire, 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...
, near the galactic center. It is believed to be the planet farthest from the galactic centre, hence its name: Terminus is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "end of the line".
There are almost no visible stars in its sky, only the huge lens of the Milky Way Galaxy. The nearby stars of the Province of Anacreon are known as "The Diamonds", with the expanse of the Galaxy described as "The Lens". The Ecliptic plane of Terminus appears to be near-perpendicular to its orbit around the Galactic nucleus, as the Lens is visible in the night sky throughout its year, while the Diamonds appearance appears to be seasonal. The visibility of the Magellanic Clouds is not discussed.
Planetary Geography
Terminus has a very high water/land ratio, with the capital, Terminus City, situated on the planet's only truly large island (not quite a continent). The planetary ocean contains a total of approximately 10,000 inhabited islands. In this way, Terminus resembles the Japanese ArchipelagoJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, culturally as well as in terms of technological prowess (see below).
Terminus's climate is mild. Like all known habitable planets it has a nickel-iron core which produces a significant magnetic field; however, it has almost no metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s in its surface rocks
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
. In the Foundation's early years, steel was so valuable that it was used to coin money.
Biosphere
Prior to human occupation, a few, lower forms of life existed on Terminus. However, once humans arrived (along with their supporting species), these native life forms were crowded outHabitat conservation
Habitat conservation is a land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore, habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, and prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range...
and became extinct in the wild
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...
. However, breeding populations were conserved at various Universities.
Cities
The capital of Terminus Planet is Terminus City. Terminus City is home to a number of noteworthy places, including:- City Hall—the primary administrative building of the Foundation (and later the Foundation Federation), including the Council Chambers and Mayor's Office
- City Hall Park
- Cyclopedia Square
- Flexner—suburb
- The Hardin Building—a public apartment complex
- Mallow Hall—a concert venue
- The Salvor Hardin Museum of Origins—more commonly called the Hardin Museum, a museum of Foundation history, known to house the copies of the original Encyclopedia GalacticaEncyclopedia GalacticaThe Encyclopædia Galactica is a fictional or hypothetical encyclopædia of a future human galaxy-spanning civilization, containing all the knowledge accumulated by a society with quadrillions of people and thousands of years of history...
- The Seldon Vault—where messages recorded by Hari SeldonHari SeldonHari Seldon, a fictional character, is the intellectual hero of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series. In his capacity as mathematics professor at Streeling University on Trantor, he developed psychohistory, allowing him to predict the future in probabilistic terms...
before his death were played to relay important information to the citizens of the Foundation, around the times of the Seldon CrisesSeldon CrisisA Seldon Crisis is a fictional socio-historical phenomenon in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series of science fiction novels. They are part of the field of psychohistory, and refer to a social and political situation that, to be successfully surmounted, would eventually leave only one possible,...
. - Terminus Spaceport
- Ultimate Spaceport
Three other cities are known: Agyropol, Newton City, Stanmark (Arkady Darrell's hometown).
History
With the Galactic EmpireGalactic Empire (Asimov)
In Isaac Asimov's Robot/Empire/Foundation series of novels, the Galactic Empire is an empire consisting of millions of planets settled by humans across the whole Milky Way Galaxy. Its symbol is the Spaceship and Sun logo.-Author's creation of the empire:...
in fatal decline, Hari Seldon, inventor of the science of psychohistory
Psychohistory (fictional)
Psychohistory is a fictional science in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe which combines history, sociology, and mathematical statistics to make general predictions about the future behavior of very large groups of people, such as the Galactic Empire...
, predicted a 30,000 year interregnum of barbaric dark ages until the rise of a New Empire. So Seldon created a plan to shorten this interregnum from 30,000 years to 1,000 years.
Seldon asked Las Zenow, chief librarian of the Library of Trantor
Library of Trantor
The Library of Trantor was one of the prominent features of the fictional planet Trantor, created by Isaac Asimov and appearing in his Empire Series and the Foundation Series...
to undertake a search to find a suitable planet, according to Seldon's criteria. Zenow, following a lengthy search, found Terminus, which had been uninhabited through the five centuries after its discovery.
Seldon manipulated the authoritarian Commission of Public Safety that ruled the Empire to exile his project to Terminus. The founding population consisted of 100,000 especially healthy scientists, whose ostensible purpose was to publish an Encyclopedia Galactica
Encyclopedia Galactica
The Encyclopædia Galactica is a fictional or hypothetical encyclopædia of a future human galaxy-spanning civilization, containing all the knowledge accumulated by a society with quadrillions of people and thousands of years of history...
. In actuality, their job would be to preserve science and technology, and to reconquer the Galaxy to form the Second Empire.
The lack of steel and limited natural resources forced Terminians to develop technologies of extremely high efficiency, as their knowledge due to their position as the inheritors of the Imperial Library allowed them to do so. The high technology and science of the foundation became its crucial strength in early confrontations, first against far larger local kingdoms that had broken away from the weakening empire but drastically regressed to pre-atomic technology; then powerful dictators with support from the dying core of the Empire itself, who had similar scientific ability to the Foundation but far more cumbersome, inefficient technology, having always relied on colossal resources.
Economically, at least for the first 500 years, they seem to have a massive surplus in labor. Toran Darrell II and Janov Pelorat were both described as men of modest means, one living off a stipend, the other a quiet academic in an unpopular field. Yet both men were able to afford a house servant (Poli for the Darrell household and Kloda for the Pelorat household). Poli in particular is shown at length to be very under-educated, speaking in a fashion that seems indicative of the antebellum South. Whether this is due to her inherent limits, a bizarre affectation or a lack of educational opportunities on Terminus is not explained. The labor saving devices as described would seem to be the equal or more of 20th century gadgets, and what the servants are supposed to do is not explained, though it describes them doing menial tasks such as setting out pre-made self-cooking dinners or opening doors.
In the later Foundation books, primarily Foundation's Edge
Foundation's Edge
Foundation's Edge is a science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original Foundation trilogy, due to years of pressure by fans and editors on Asimov to write another, and, according to Asimov...
and 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...
, Terminus is well on its way to being the capital of the Second Galactic Empire, using its massive technological advantage. This even threw a wrench into the plan of the Second Foundation
Second Foundation
Second Foundation is the third novel published of the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press....
, as Terminus had managed to develop anti-mentalic technology, including a psychic barrier, which was strong enough to hold off at least temporarily Stor Gendibal's mentalic power, and with Gaia's help (had Golan Trevize chosen it) would have been indestructible to mental attacks.