#formation of stars and planets

[elbiotipo]

Seeing Venus 'for reference' in the list of possibly habitable exoplanets is so humbling. It's a reminder that "yes, this planet might be an analogue of Earth, or Literal Hell, so don't get too excited just yet"

[deep-space-netwerk]

please please please PLEASE share more on your Thoughts about gas giants!! i'd love to learn in a way that doesnt leave me baffled and half my brain leaking from my ears! you explained things so well in the psyche post and also i think things are generally more fun to learn from someone who is Excited To Share than from Published Research Papers where everything has been dried out For Professional Reasons- understandably so, mind, but i am not In The Field and dont know the terms lol

Okay it's taken me forever to get back to this but I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

Like other planets, it all starts with a disk made of gas and dust orbiting an infant star, called a protoplanetary disk. Like these in the Orion Nebula, discovered by the Hubble!

To form terrestrial planets (rocky planets with relatively thin atmospheres like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars), the gas in the protoplanetary disk coalesces to form hundreds and hundreds of rocky bodies called planetesimals, about a kilometer across. These planetesimals collide, and form dozens of protoplanets about the size of the moon. The protoplanets then collide as well, and stabilize to form the solar system as we know it today.

But, in the case of gas giants, colliding protoplanets don't form fully-finished planets. Instead, they form a core, or a seed.

We think the only thing that determines whether a planet will be terrestrial or a gas giant is simply how far away from the sun it forms - that's it. As a new sun warms its evolving solar system, it heats up the material in the protoplanetary disk. Close to the sun, the disk gets hotter, and things like water and other ices melt and evaporate into gas, making them difficult for the protoplanets to gravitationally capture. However, further away, the icy compounds stay cold enough to remain solid and coalesce along with rocky particles.

That boundary in the solar system - where ices evaporate to gas on the sunward side, and remain solid on the other - is called the "Frost Line". In our solar system, the Frost Line is right between Mars and Jupiter.

The protoplanets that form past the Frost Line turn into gas giant seeds, and are able to (kinda literally) snowball, picking up both rocky and icy material. With all that solid ice available, they grow far larger and far faster than planets in the inner solar system, and their gravity gets stronger and stronger. More gravity causes them to collect even MORE material until they're heavy enough to capture extremely lightweight elements like hydrogen and helium. Which, of course, makes them get even bigger and even heavier! Runaway growth!

But weirdly, as we study more exoplanets (planets that orbit stars other than our sun), we keep finding these huge gas giants incredibly close to their stars! Like, even closer than Mercury is to ours, which is insane. These "Hot Jupiters" break so many rules - gas giants "should" only be able to form where ice stays frozen, but here they are up close and personal with their stars, like this artist's concept!

It's possible that these planets are in the process of migrating closer to their stars, and we're managing to see them before they evaporate, but we just! Keep! Finding them!

One of my favorite parts of planetary science is how much we still have to learn. We'll think we have a pretty good idea of how things work out there, and then suddenly we'll find something that we can't explain. And there's an entire universe of weird shit - we've barely begun to scratch the surface!

[ravewing]

hello astronomy tumblr!!😁

so erm. im participating in science olympiad and i have to study stellar evolution (i think star formation specifically but i assume ill have to know the other stuff as well) and exoplanets but uhh i have NOT studied SHIT all year and regionals are in a month so. if anyone is knowledgeable in this area. please i need help i am begging anything helps if you dont know anything then tag like a friend who might idfk please i am desperate🙏🙏🙏

[thecoolerbrother]

i think something moonage daydream was really good at doing was capturing a vibe

[breakingbobcat]

Corpus colossum

Corpus christi carol

Corpus coliseum

Highway

Appian Way

Yin yang

Bilateral brain

Nerves of stone and steel

Nerves of electricity and myelin

Sugar and cartilage

Sharkskin

Nodes on an airplane for registering wind speed and lift

Impulse and control

Nobler matters

Trust

Severance vs communication

Music vs poetry

[someminorgod]

Well, let me expand on that fact a little bit.

Jupiter's outer layers are indeed made out of hydrogen and some helium, the main elements of a star. The heavy core is made out of heavier elements, metals, with a higher percentage of mass as compared to the sun.

The reason Jupiter has at least a similar composition to the sun is that it is located behind the frost line. During the formation of the sun, some of its material is left behind, remaining in the protoplanetary disc. All planets were formed in this disc, both the earth and jupiter. Of course, it is generally hotter in this disk near the sun. Close to the sun, these molecules remain gaseous. At greater distances from the sun, molecules such as water and ammonia can exist in solid form, as ice. This ice as well as other dust are used as building material in the formation of planets. Due to this, planets behind the frost line grow significantly larger, so large that their gravity can capture and trap the large amount of hydrogen and helium atoms in the protoplanetary disc.

When the nuclear fission inside the star starts, the loose materials in the disk are gradually blown away and the disc disappears, leaving only solid asteroids and planets. Due to Jupiter's large magnetic field and gravity, hydrogen and helium remain in its atmosphere and outer layers to this day.

To create a star, significantly more material than found in the protoplanetary disc is required. The nearest red dwarf is Barnard's Star, which is the second closest star system to the sun. It's too dim to be visible to the naked eye, and can hardly be recognised in good telescopes. As a red dwarf, it is barely considered a star; it has just enough mass and gravity to initiate thermonuclear fusion in its core.

Barnard's Star has about 150 Jupiter masses. That's a lot of Jupiters. So while it's true that Jupiter's just not big enough to start nuclear fusion, it is actually very, very far from it.

I haven’t posted space so I want to share the most recent photo of Jupiter

Someone had a great theory/fact about this. They said:

“Jupiter is basically a dwarf star and made of the same ingredients that our sun is, just not big enough for the gravitational friction at its core to ignite the nuclear fusion process.”

This makes sent to me and might be true, but I’m not an expert, so if it’s true or have any more explanations about it.

Jupiter is one of the most beautiful planet in the cosmos. If anyone has some cool facts and theories, feel free to share!

Space & Astronomy

[spacenutspod]

Astronomy AstroDailyPod - The Podcast: S03E167 Welcome to Astronomy AstroDailyPod, your source for the latest Space and Astronomy news. I'm your host, Steve Dunkley, and we've got a fascinating episode for you today. Let's dive into some of the most intriguing stories from the cosmos. Highlights: - Upcoming Annular Solar Eclipse: On October 2, an annular solar eclipse will sweep across the southern hemisphere, including iconic destinations like Rapa Nui (Easter Island), southern Chile, and southern Argentina. Learn about the "ring of fire" effect and where you can best view this celestial event. - Earth's Temporary Mini Moon: A small asteroid, about the size of a school bus, will become a temporary mini moon for Earth, orbiting our planet for about two months. This rare event offers a unique opportunity for astronomers to study near-Earth objects. - Hera Mission Returns: An all-volunteer crew on a simulated trip to Mars has returned to Earth after 45 days in isolation at NASA's Johnson Space Centre. Discover how their mission contributes to our understanding of human behaviour and performance in confined, remote environments. - SpaceX Falcon Fleet Grounded: SpaceX has grounded its Falcon rocket fleet following a second stage problem during a recent launch. This suspension could impact upcoming missions, including NASA's Europa Clipper and ESA's Hera mission. - Planet Formation Study: New research reveals that planets larger than Earth struggle to form around stars with low metallicity. This study provides insights into the conditions necessary for planet formation and has implications for the search for extraterrestrial life. Short Takes: - An all-volunteer crew on a simulated Mars mission returned to Earth, providing valuable insights for future Space exploration. - SpaceX's Falcon rocket fleet is grounded due to a second stage problem, impacting upcoming missions. - A new study explores why planets larger than Earth struggle to form around low metallicity stars. For more Space news, be sure to visit our website at astronomydaily.io. There you can sign up for our free AstroDailyPod newsletter, catch up on all the latest Space and Astronomy news with our constantly updating newsfeed, and listen to all our back episodes. Don't forget to follow us on social media. Just search for #AstroDailyPod on facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Thank you for tuning in. This is Steve signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe. Sponsor Links: NordVPN Malwarebytes Proton Mail Old Glory - Iconic Music and Sports Fan Merch Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

[exactoscienceupgradeforsearch]

ATTACKING US BY PROVIDING FALSE DATA TO LIFE SUPPORT WOULD NEVER BE A METHOD BY WHICH CRIMINALS COULD AFTERWARDS ACCESS THAT LIFE SUPPORT. THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDITIONALLY REPROGRAMMING THAT LIFE SUPPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE, SO THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN DIRECTING IT TO ACQUIRE US IN THE FIRST PLACE AT ANY TIME.

[phoenixyfriend]

Been feeling bitter about Obi-Wan ships in this Chili's tonight

There's a petty irritation in me whenever a story shifts from canon's "Obi-Wan would have stayed if Satine asked him to, but she didn't, possibly because she didn't want to take him from something that meant so much to him (being a Jedi)" to "Satine asked, even begged, him to stay, and he refused because his duties/freedom were more important"

[talk-nerdy-to-me-thyla]

ok so im obsessed now, and ive learned a little bit more about the Roddenberry Archive, the project responsible for Star Trek Unification.

This goes a LOT further than just the one short film. Rod Roddenbery is heading "a multi-decade collaboration to preserve Gene Roddenberry’s lifetime of work for future generations to experience in next generation media formats."

Basically they're digging deep into concept work for star trek phase II, Star Trek: Planet of the Titans, the motion picture novelization, and the Cage. Mostly with a goal an preservation and recreation? its a lot of meticulous 3d models and renders. They want to make physical sets for everything. They're really heavily into the cage pilot, which is why THIS girl with the pony tail keeps showing up. her name is J.M. Colt

they are apparently developing a Roddenberry Archive Interactive Exhibit (WHICH I GOTTA ATTEND SO BAD) based off the Cage. theyre implementing "new holographic mediums for future generations to experience Gene Roddenberry’s legacy with the highest levels of immersion and historical fidelity." which sounds BANANAS. It's a fully immersive, interactive 360-degree experience where you can just WALK around the cage enterprise. You can use the turbolift to go to different levels, flip through Spock’s presentation of Talos IV in the briefing room, go through all of pikes stuff in his room. AND YOU LEAVE. BY BEAMING OUT.

I WANA GO SO BAD

Also bonus:

They got a little Animated series Arex!! Look at him!!! My boy!!

feel free to correct me if im wrong or add stuff! All of what i know is from like 2022 lol

X

X

[sexhaver]

in the late 2030s, noosphere analysts in the Unified Irish Republic made a breakthrough: by injecting the souls of people on their deathbeds with specific radioisotopes, they could filter through the greater noosphere for that marker to identify where the soul ended up. the first test subject's soul reappearing in the Mesozoic Era, in turn, led to the discovery that reincarnation is not only real but completely unbound by time or space: upon death, your consciousness is instantly transferred to some other vessel somewhere/when in spacetime at the moment it attains cognizance.

after further research, it was determined that 1. this jump is as close to random as modern nooscopes can measure and 2. the minimum threshold for "cognizance" is incredibly low. this means that most people will end up reincarnating as some kind of insect or vermin, with "human surviving to the age where they start becoming self-aware" being a vanishingly rare outcome. there was also an issue where something like 15% of test subjects ended up returning identical signatures indicating they had been reincarnated somewhere around Orion's Belt, but this was chalked up to a combination of interference from dark matter and insufficiently accurate tools.

this eventually led to the formation of a new religion asserting that there is only one individual "consciousness" in the universe, and that all beings that have ever existed or will ever exist (including you) are all simply different iterations of this one consciousness. the Great Schism of 2037 resulted in this religion fragmenting into two sects due to an argument over the existence of immortal or timeless beings: the larger faction (called "Wombists" due to their habit of referring to the universe as an egg or womb) held that true immortality was impossible in this realm and the endgame for the One True Consciousness (i.e. you) after living every life in the universe was to ascend to godhood; whereas the smaller faction (referred to by the history books as simply "Heretics" after their eradication for heresy) argued that there was exactly one (1) Truly Immortal Being and that the endgame of the One True Consciousness was to end up trapped in this body/life and eventually go mad with power.

in 2041, after the existence of dark matter was conclusively debunked, Cuban astral projectioneers managed to resolve the apparent discrepancy with the earlier Irish dataset: there was, in fact, a planet near Orion's Belt host to an incomprehensibly vast biomass. further expeditions revealed this life to be trillions upon trillions of silicon-based microscopic organisms that were effectively biologically immortal, with metabolic cycles operating on the timescale of stars. the implications of this prompted a second minor schism within the church, since the Wombist line of reasoning implied that 15% of all reincarnations were billion-year jail sentences in the body of an alien tardigrade.

at 1:07 PM GMT on July 27th, 2043, a Mexican observatory detected evidence of a massive eel-like entity emerging from the asteroid belt. it had yet to receive an official name before rendering the issue moot by consuming the Earth whole approximately 28 minutes later.

[radiance1]

@puppetmaster13u You called Danny a space whale in the tags of one of this post.

Now what if that was literal?

Hear me out, Danny outlives his friends, parents, sister. Danny becomes a literal whale.

Well, not a literal one because he's a ghost, but he takes the shape one of at the very least. He's just a giant, glowing white whale that looks pretty divine not going to lie.

Danny leaves earth. It wasn't safe for him anymore, what with the GIW and all that as even the ghosts found it not even worth anymore to visit the mortal world.

Except for Desiree and Spectra, but that's besides the point.

But Danny doesn't retreat to the zone, he's always longed for space, but because of his new half humanness he doesn't get believe he could've ever gone because, well. Yea.

But Danny goes fuck it and goes anyway. His form shifts from human to that of a giant whale, and he swims out into the vastness of space.

Years pass, and Danny does start getting bigger as he aged. He explored the vastness of space, marveling at many things, the different planets, the stars, the formations of rock and other things.

Then he encounters someone he never though he would've.

Vlad.

Well, he knew Vlad was left behind in space by his father but he didn't think he would find him again and Vlad seemed... different, from what he remembered.

For one thing, he didn't even know where Vlad began and space ended. He got only see those red eyes that even hinted at it being the man. His body was void black and filled with stars upon stars, all glittering from his body and Vlad barely even seemed to notice him, or if he did, he didn't seem to care at all.

So, Danny took him.

He was both curious and felt a bit bad about what happened to Vlad, even if he didn't know exactly what happened, and he couldn't just leave him there either.

So on his back Vlad went, and his travels continued.

It seemed to be the correct decision, really, because slowly overtime Vlad seemed to be regaining his awareness. Then slowly, tentatively, started to speak with him through ghost speak.

Vlad only seemed to vaguely remember what he was before space. He remembered hating a man, loving a woman, wanting a son, loneliness and a boy with white hair and toxic green eyes.

Even though Vlad was his former enemy, his nemesis, and someone who took the world hostage.

He couldn't help but feel pity for him.

Then their travels continued.

Years pass unnoticed, when in space, with Danny slowly getting bigger and bigger as the two travel throughout. They've come into contact with various civilizations, some hostile, some peaceful, some neutral.

The hostile ones never lasted long, even if Danny never lifted a flipper to do anything most of the time, Vlad made sure of it.

They came at went as they pleased, and Danny believes that they've gained a bit of a reputations over their adventures, but neither he nor Vlad knew exactly what they said. It did prove useful in some cases, however.

A few more years, and Danny feels that this system is vaguely familiar. Which happens sometimes, considering he's been travelling for so long. He then finds out why it was so familiar.

He came across Earth and, oh. When was the Earth so small?

Well, not small really, but when was he just only a bit smaller than it?

Did it shrink when he was away? Or did he just grow?

That doesn't matter though. What does, is the fact that currently seemed to be an invasion going on, on his home planet thank you very much. He did not like the fact that there was a massive fleet parked right outside his home.

So he spoke to Vlad, expressed his displeasure, Vlad responded back knowingly and went off to make the source of his displeasure disappear. That doesn't Danny was idle either, the fleet was big and, well.

It's been a while since he's stretched himself in a fight.

[woso-dreamzzz]

Miracle III

Aitana Bonmatí x Baby!Reader

Summary: An early morning with Mama

The sunlight filtering into the room has Aitana blinking awake, squinting as the soft rays of sun glow directly in her eyes.

She yawns, glancing away from the gap in the curtains to look directly at the baby monitor on her bedside table.

The image shows you clearly, wide awake and standing. One hand grips your pegasus plushie while the other stretches up to play with one of the hanging stars on your mobile.

You're probably getting too big for it now, developing quickly from baby to that weird baby-toddler in between that Aitana can remember happened to Skatt and before Skatt, Conejita.

She wishes that she'd studied them more carefully so she'd be prepared for this.

You seem to realise she's watching you though with the same weird sixth sense you have when you're playmates are ready to climb in the playpen with you at training.

You babble a bit, interspersing nonsense with real words as you blow spit bubbles.

"Mama Ta-Ta! Ta-Ta!"

Aitana finds a fond smile appearing on her face as she rolls over in bed, slipping her feet into a pair of fluffy slippers and pulling on a bathrobe to keep the early morning chill out.

You make a little noise of happiness when your bedroom door opens and Aitana plucks you into her arms without anymore nagging.

"Good morning, estrella," She coos, dropping a soft kiss to the end of your nose which makes you go cross-eyed.

"Mor'ing Mama Ta-Ta."

You reach out a hand to grab at Aitana's face, scraping weak little fingers against her cheek before finally getting a grip on her ear.

She laughs, gently pulling your grabby little hand away as she checks the funny little cuckoo clock Mapi had gotten you as a joke.

It's still early.

Too early to be up on a day off.

"Let's go to my bed."

You seem fascinated with the soft blanket covers as Aitana lays you in the middle of her bed as she strips back down to just her pjs, running your fingers over the patterns again and again as you gnaw on pegasus' wing.

Aitana drags you towards her in just the way you like, pulling out your fuzzy onesie legs until you're right next to her.

You kick out happily as she gently manoeuvres you into a sitting position.

There's no hope in getting you to sleep again, not when you're wide awake like this but that doesn't mean the two of you can't stay in bed for a little while longer.

Aitana is easily amused by the funny little sounds you make and the way that you try to sound out words you've heard her say before.

You're startlingly intelligent for your age, far advanced than what Aitana can remember baby Skatt and baby Conejita to be like. She isn't quite sure whether it's a genetic thing or just how much time she dedicates to your education, young as you are.

Tv time is spent only watching educational kid's shows or some documentaries. Time is set aside to watch a bit of football together of course but even then, Aitana waffles on about tactics and formations and everything else under the sun she can think of.

She's read all the baby books about raising children bilingual and how to foster a love for reading in them. She'd taken you to her parents once and returned to find her mother reading a university grade textbook to you before bedtime.

She doesn't know if it's just a Bonmatí thing or if it's how she's raising you.

Either way, she's glad because even now you're working your brain and you've barely gotten up.

"Mer-ry," You say and Aitana smiles.

"Mercury," She corrects.

"Mer-cry."

"Mer-cury."

"Mercury!"

"Good job, estrella!"

You giggle as Aitana tickles your tummy, hand coming out to imitate her movements but Aitana captures it easily, pressing a soft kiss to your palm.

The rest of the early morning goes the same way, with you struggling to say all the planet names until Aitana helps to correct you.

At some point, you migrate to her lap, head tilted all the way back on her shoulder so you can see her clearly.

Something about the way you look at her, your soft baby features, the smile on your face, the sparkle in your eyes, has Aitana's chest bursting with warmth.

"I..." She says, feeling slightly choked up as your hands gently explore her fingers," I love you, estrella."

"Lub you," You say back," Lub Mama."

The warmth turns to ice instantly, like a lance cracking her chest open and finding a home in her heart.

"No," Aitana says gently," No Mama. Mama Ta-Ta, remember? You've already got a Mama."

You shake your head. "Mama."

"I...Estrella...Estrella, no. I'm not Mama. I'm Mama Ta-Ta."

It feels disrespectful to take that role.

This was never the life Aitana was meant to have. You were hers biologically. That had been the plan.

She was meant to donate her egg, the least she could do for her two best friends who desperately wanted a child but couldn't have any of their own. She was meant to be Tia Aitana, Tia Ta-Ta who would swoop you up occasionally and show you the joys of life. The one that you could come to when you were a moody teenager and in that stage where you 'hated' your parents.

Maybe if you had called her 'Mami' it would be different but Mama was the name that Aitana's friend referred to herself as. She was meant to be your Mama, not Aitana.

Not Aitana who is already pushing invisible boundaries by allowing herself to be called Mama Ta-Ta.

You shake your head stubbornly. "Mama!"

It seems you've inherited the Bonmatí stubbornness too as your smiling face sets into a little frown just like Aitana's.

She doesn't know how to explain it to you, doesn't know how to explain that she can't be your Mama. No matter how much she wants to.

"Mama..." You whine, frown morphing into a chin wobble and a chin wobble morphing into big fat tears rolling down your face.

"No, no, estrella! It's okay! Don't cry! I'm sorry!"

Aitana desperately tries to bounce you, to soothe your tears but you're inconsolable until you're tucked into her chest, hand reaching up to tug at the collar of her sleep shirt.

"Mama," You babble through your tears, trying to shuffle even closer," Mama, please."

Aitana's own bottom lip wobbles as tears prick in her eyes.

She rests her cheek on the top of your head, breathing in the soft baby smell that never quite left, lingering on the edges of her senses like it had the first time she'd met you.

It feels disrespectful to take her friend's name but at the same time, it feels right.

To be your Mama.

To take the name that you've so happily bestowed upon her.

The name you've chosen for her.

No longer Ta-Ta or Mama Ta-Ta.

Just Mama.

You whimper a little, wiping your runny nose all over the front of her shirt. "Mama?"

"Yes, estrella," Aitana says," I'm your Mama."

[targaryenluvs]

— SISTER’S KEEPER

pairings: luke castellan x poseidons!daughter!reader, percy jackson x sister!reader

summary: the three instances where percy almost found out about you and luke, and the one where he did.

warnings: none! fluff, persassy is not a happy camper (literally), secret relationship, arguments, interrupted makeouts

a/n: i decided to not make them actually related so that it’s more inclusive - percy and you are the only kids of poseidon. this is going to be a four parter baby - one for each instance :) I KNOW ITS SHORT BUT ITS MORE OF A FILLER OKAY

taglist: @songofthesuns @gayforyelena @taloulalila @honeydanny @7s3ven @sssi-nr @percabethtears @gr1mes-cc @2hiigh2cry @10ava01 @ahh-chickens @fangirl-swagg @anotherblackreader @midmourn @lovelyforesst t @urfavpogue @lilacspider @mysteris-things @whoreyzontal @lunalixya @dangelnleif @wordsarelife

part i, part ii, part iii, part iv — finale out now!!

as wise as you believed yourself and luke to be there were times where you questioned your sanity.

you considered yourself to be level-headed, rational. always looking for the responsible route of a situation, argument and everything in between. it was one of the things about your and percy’s relationship that you found hilarious. your brother tended to act before thinking, which you chastised him for all the time.

but all rationality in your head was thrown out the day you laid eyes on luke castellan.

with gorgeous dark curls and beautiful eyes, he stole your breath away. but you couldn’t exactly talk about crushes with percy, especially since he saw luke as a friend. but luckily for you, luke felt the same way.

i. formation

you and luke tended to stargaze together when you could. naming constellations and planets if visible. it was a moment away from the craziness of camp that the two of you adored. you loved the sky, even if you were poseidon’s daughter. luke didn’t mind stargazing but if you’d actually paid attention then you would’ve noticed that he rarely looked at the stars, the most beautiful thing was right infront of him.

“but they’re always kept seperate, did you know that?” you turned to luke to find him already looking at you, a nervous smile came across your face, “what is it?” luke’s hands made their way to yours, a tight squeeze. “you look pretty tonight.” you leaned on your elbows, “don’t i always?” luke smiled, “yeah, you always do.”

“so do you, luke. i really do like you.” his eyes seemed mischievous, “i like you too.” he leaned over, a wavering hand placed under your chin, tilting you to him as he surged forwards.

the stars seemed to shine brighter that night, as the two of you lay together, hands intertwined. kisses and hugs to keep you warm. for the rest of the night you felt on top of the world, with luke by your side. you were happy again, but all you could think about was percy.

gods it was going to be hard to explain this to him.

[tiredneutron]

Terrans

Humanity.

Listen well, for this is a tale of warning and of caution.

When humanity was first observed, many of the council thought they should be eradicated. A tumultuous and violent species who revelled in the destruction of their own kind. It was a close thing, but the council voted and humanity was allowed to develop - under the condition that none were to contact them until they were deemed ready.

Humanity never gave us the chance to do so.

They progressed their technology in timeframes yet unseen. They went from discovering electricity to landing on their own moon in a matter of decades - doing so with primitive technology, but it was a feat nonetheless.

From there they developed their own world - the space around their home planet Terra became a field of haphazard signals and messages, a bombardment of signals that interfered with our observational machinery. Due to this we weren’t ready when humanity ventured into the stars truly for the first time. They blasted themselves out of their atmosphere with controlled explosions of all things, their technology was nowhere near discovering antimatter coupling yet. Despite this they reached the edge of the quarantine zone within a matter of years, and we were discovered.

Despite our initial thoughts, humanity reacted very differently to us than expected. They didn’t wage wars on us, didn’t lay claim to our planets. They met us with unrestrained joy at finding others in the universe. They told us of their numerous attempts to reach out to us, and showed us some of their works of fiction that depicted how they imagined us (though they seemed to hide some others for reasons we couldn’t ascertain).

Humanity was welcomed into the stars, and they became commonplace. Their biology was baffling and their behaviour bizarre, but we accommodated them and they taught us how to work with them.

Centuries passed, and though the initial explorers were long gone, humanity had become a part of the council as low ranking members. Their species had become mostly peaceful, lowering their internal wars to less than skirmishes. Humanity’s violent and cruel nature seemed to have been tempered by the stars.

We were wrong.

From beyond the councils borders, beyond the observable space in the void, a threat appeared. They blasted through our sensors and demolished our border colonies in hours. Our intel on them was near zero due to the ferocity they annihilated our kin.

They reached the inner borders of the council, and the elder members prepared for a bitter battle. To our surprise, humanity asked to join the defence. They told us that their kin had settled on some of the border colonies, and that many had lost loved ones. We allowed humanity to join our last fight, even if we didn’t expect them to affect the battle.

We were wrong.

Many of my comrades who survived the battle have sleep terrors to this day. Not of the void settlers, but of the humans. The cruelty and viciousness we thought had disappeared from their culture came back with a vengeance. Who we had seen as scientists and farmers for centuries, comrades we had known for decades - they showed us that monsters don’t come from the void.

The void settlers never stood a chance. The council was barely able to get in formation before the battle was ended. If the void bringers tactics were ferocious, then the Terran’s were monstrous. For every ship they lost, every life they sacrificed, the void settlers lost a battalion, a planet’s worth of lives.

This loss brought the void settlers much shame and anger. They made a mistake that haunts me to this day. They used their speed to reach Terra before the council could relay to the humans the threat. Humanity watched as Terra split, as trillions of their families and non-fighting members were eradicated.

The fighting ceased. Humanity seemed to have frozen. Their fleets stopped dead in space and their communications went silent. Where humanity had been surrounded by wavelengths and frequencies that interfered with some technology still, the space around them became eerily silent, as though the death of the planet had killed even those off world.

The void settlers continued their attack on the council and disregarded Humanity. No need to worry about a broken opponent… Right?

They were wrong.

The Terran’s weren’t dead, or even broken. It was later revealed that the freeze had been due to grief. Humanity had lost its home world, but worse than that it had lost its peaceable citizens. The ones who should have been safe from the conflict.

All of humanity had watched, and all of humanity had grieved. But they were not broken.

The void settlers learnt this very soon.

Humanity descended on them in ways that made the last defence seem like a diplomatic discussion. We though we had seen the worst of humanity in our early observations. WE. WERE. WRONG.

Humanity has a saying “Hell hath no wrath like a woman scorned”, but the council has adapted it: “The void hath no wrath like a Terran without a home”.

The void settlers were routed from every planet they had taken. They retreated to the void leaving behind their technology and supplies, not even taking the time to recover some of their teams. But the humans didn’t stop.

In a move that the council had forbidden for millennia, the humans flew into the void. The entirety of the Terran race disappeared into the blackness beyond space and wasn’t heard from for longer than we had known of them.

The council mourned their losses, but viewed their final act as something done out of the madness of their loss. The Terran’s were remembered as warriors, as fighters, but also as family. They became known to those of us who’d seen them fight as “The angels of Death”.

I never expected to see a Terran again, assumed that the void had devoured them and their destructive grief with them. But one day a vessel I was onboard, tasked with assessing possible colonies to rebuild in the border planets - it detected something.

The frequencies and wavelengths of data that had only ever been human in nature. They were coming from the void.

The council watched as humanity emerged unexpected for the second time.

The flagship docked with our observation vessel, and the leaders came aboard to see us. I vaguely recognised the captain. Their features so slightly similar to the grief driven warrior we’d watched descend into the void. We asked what had happened, and the captain responded with the most chilling visage I had seen since the first footage of the void settlers. Their baring of their teeth was savage and joyous. So similar to the expression we saw at first meeting, yet so distorted. In that moment I saw what could have happened if the Terran’s had waged war on us.

“We won.”