Planets and Starfields: Part 4: Gaian Planets
Space Painting
gas giants such as Jupiter/Saturn. So the main
attributed to a sci-fi writer, Jack Williamson in his
open planetary biosphere emulating all the
task is to ensure a very subtle approach is used.
book titled “Collision Orbit”, dated 1942, which
functions of the biosphere of the Earth – one
has since come into popular and mainstream
that would be fully habitable for human beings
5. Oceans & Shores: To suggest subtle depth,
use. For the subject matter itself, Martyn J Fogg
4. Astrophysical Engineering – taken to
darker parts of liquid surfaces will take on a
has since published numerous articles about
represent proposed activities relating to future
saturated darker blue (for oceans) and a lighter
terraforming and has devised various levels,
habitation that are envisaged to occur on a scale
blue/green for shallower bodies of water.
classifications and ease of terraforming.
greater than that of “conventional” planetary engineering
6. Land Masses: The final defining moment
Types of Terraforming:
is to suggest mountain ranges, planes and
1. Planetary Engineering – the application of
tundras. In our fictional image we can depict
technology for the purpose of influencing the
Ease of Terraforming (of candidate planets):
giant mountain ranges which are partially snow-
global properties of a planet
1. Habitable Planet (HP) – a world with an
capped; from an external view, such sharp
2. Geoengineering – planetary engineering
environment sufficiently similar to the Earth
details are rarely seen until within closer range.
applied specifically to Earth. It includes only
so as to allow comfortable and free human
those macro engineering concepts that deal
habitation
Hopefully, with all the details roped in, the final
with the alteration of some global parameters,
2. Biocompatible Planet (BP) – a planet
image should look similar to Fig.06.
such as the Greenhouse Effect, atmospheric
possessing the necessary physical parameters
composition, insulation or impact flux
for life to flourish on its surface. If initially lifeless
3. Terraforming – a process of planetary
then such a world could host a biosphere of
engineering, specifically directed at enhancing
considerable complexity, without the need for
The terraforming (Earth-shaping) of sterile
the capacity of an extraterrestrial planetary
terraforming
planets requires the amazing feats of planetary-
environment to support life as we know it. The
3. Easily Terraformable Planet (ETP) – a
wide engineering. The term itself is widely
ultimate in terraforming would be to create an
planet that might be rendered biocompatible,
II: Terraforming for a New Home
www.2dartistmag.com
page 100
Issue 034 October 2008