AD Event Organizer Tips Issue 3

Asteroids at Isaac Asimov Centenary

At the beginning of 2020 we will have a very important date: the 100 years of the writer Isaac Asimov, born in Russia on January 2, 1920.

Asimov is considered one of the three great masters of science fiction. He has authored over 500 works that have become icons in fictional and non-fictional science, some adapted for movies, such as Nightfall (1988), The Bicentennial Man (1999) and I, Robot (2004). 

Prior to his consecration in science fiction, Asimov published several scientific essays on themes of astronomy, including asteroids. In the 1960s he published The Rocks of Damocles, part of the From Earth to Heaven (1966) collection that talks about asteroids. He also talks about earth monitoring against space rocks; meteoric craters caused by past impacts and possible future collisions of these asteroids with our planet. 

The Solar System and Back by Isaac Asimov

 At the same epoch, Asimov made a new essay about the theme: Little Lost Satellite, published in the collection The Solar System and Back (1970). In this essay, Asimov describes the largest asteroids in the Main Belt: Ceres (now a dwarf planet), Pallas, Vesta, and Juno, and considers that Vesta could be a satellite of a planet that existed between Earth and Mars. 

In the following decade, asteroids were subject of another essay: “Updating the Asteroids”, from the collection Of Matters Great and Small (1975). And later, in 1990, the Tunguska Event becomes the subject of the documentary Target… Earth ?, where several scientists and experts appear, giving testimonials about the subject, including Asimov himself. 

Already in the book Asteroids, first published in 1988, Asimov explains in more detail the small bodies of the Solar System and the importance they could have in the future. 

(The) Asteroids, published by Gareth Stevens in 1988

Asteroids were also the scene of his fiction works: 

In tale “Marooned Off Vesta” (1939), a spaceship is drifting because of a meteoroid shower. Its passengers are trapped in orbit by asteroid Vesta. This was Asimov’s third work and the first to be published. 

In work “Catch That Rabbit” (1944) part of I, Robot (1950) collection, a story of mystery and conflict with robots is narrated, using an asteroid mining station as location. 

In the story “The Talking Stone” (1955), miners are killed before they can give precious information about a particularly uranium-rich asteroid. 

“Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids” cover, written by
Isaac Asimov under the pseudonym Paul French

Finally, in the youth series Lucky Starr, one of his best known works, the Asteroid Belt is home to dangerous pirates in the novel “Lucky Starr and The Pirates of The Asteroides” (1953). Still in this series, the asteroid Vesta once again inspires the author, being the scene of an interstellar peace conference in the novel “Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn” (1958). 

Asimov’s works can inspire many Asteroid Day activities for students, teachers and event organizers:

• The ideas and theories about asteroids mentioned in Asimov’s works can be compared with the discoveries made by the Dawn, Hayabusa 2 and NEAR Shoemaker space missions, being subjects for debates, classes, and lectures; 
• A fun artistic way to bring Asimov’s study of asteroids would be to encourage students to create pieces of art or comic books based on asteroid scenes in the writer’s books.
• Home movies and animations inspired by Asimov’s works on asteroids can be encouraged using the portable technology we have today… and could be another kind of contest that will decide the best script, scenario, director or special effects. A funny tutorial can be seen here.

Let’s travel with Asimov through the asteroids … in science and imagination!

Have good events!