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Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury

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461:"if the Sirians are race-conscious and are breeding themselves into uniformity, they will defeat themselves in the long run. It is variety in the human race that brings about progress. It is Earth and not Sirius that is in the forefront of scientific research. Earthmen settled Sirius in the first place, and it is we, not our Sirian cousins, who are advancing in new directions every year". 25: 404:
the information from him. Cook then admits that Urteil had blackmailed him, and was killed to save Cook's career. Starr then reveals that the robot was brought from Sirius by Peverale in hope to use it to implicate the Sirians in the sabotage of Project Light. Starr has Peverale and Cook placed under arrest, and assumes control of the Dome in the name of the Council of Science.
352:. The head of Project Light is the leading scientist in sub-etheric optics, Scott Mindes. A series of accidents has plagued Project Light, which David "Lucky" Starr and John Bigman Jones have come to investigate. Shortly after meeting Starr and Bigman, Mindes takes them onto the surface of Mercury and explains his worries; but works himself into a 434:
are thinly populated and they are extremely decentralized. They live in isolated individual family units, each with its own energy source and services. Each has its group of mechanical slaves — there's no other word possible — slaves in the form of positronic robots, which do the labor. The Sirian
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On the return journey to Earth, Starr admits to Bigman that the present quarrel between Senator Swenson and the Council of Science was a draw, in that Jonathan Urteil was not able to manufacture any scandal against Project Light, but the two top men at the Mercury observatory were exposed as felons.
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When Starr returns to the dome and learns of Urteil's death, he asks to be present when Peverale conducts an official inquiry, at which Bigman reveals that it was Cook who caused Urteil's death and reveals that only Cook knew where he and Starr would be in the mines, wherefore Urteil must have gotten
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Starr and Bigman meet Mindes' friend Dr. Karl Gardoma, the observatory's physician; Jonathan Urteil, who works for a political opponent of the Council of Science named Senator Swenson; Dr. Lance Peverale, the head of the observatory; and Dr. Hanley Cook, Pevarale's chief assistant, who wants to
440:"They despise us. They consider us scarcely more than animals. The Sirians themselves are very race-conscious. Since Earthmen first colonized Sirius, they have been breeding themselves carefully until they are free of diseases and of various characteristics which they consider undesirable. 377:, and that he intends to investigate the sunside while Bigman remains in the mines and maintains the pretense of Starr's presence there. After Starr leaves, Bigman is attacked by Urteil, and both are attacked by a heat-seeking native organism. Bigman distracts the latter with Urteil's 364:
in Starr's honor, Peverale states his belief that the Sirians are behind the troubles plaguing Project Light; whereupon Starr replies that the Sirians' most likely locations are the abandoned mines located beneath the observatory, and proposes to search them.
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Speaking to Cook after dinner, Starr learns Cook's opinion Peverale has become obsessed thinking of the Sirian threat. While Bigman prepares for the trip into the mines, Starr obtains two micro-ergometers, whereby to detect
322:, while the nightside is the only planetary surface in the Solar System that never sees the Sun. Most of the novel's action takes place in and around an astronomical observatory located at the planet's north pole, where 46: 445:"They are of uniform appearance, while Earthmen are of all shapes, sizes, colors, varieties. The Sirians consider us inferior. That's why they won't let us emigrate to Sirius". 473:, Asimov no longer attempts to disguise that he was the true author, although for the sake of continuity, the novel still appeared under his pseudonym of Paul French. 930: 435:
humans maintain themselves as a fighting aristocracy. Every one of them can handle a space-cruiser. They'll never rest until they can destroy the Earth . . . .
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in the Dome's power room to Mercurian levels to accommodate them; but during the fight, the gravity suddenly returns to Earth-normal, and Urteil dies in a fall.
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of the series, they remained nothing more than a vague external menace until this particular book. Dr. Peverale describes them thus in chapter 5:
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on Mercury's north pole to conduct research into the newly discovered sub-etheric optics in hope of transmitting solar energy through
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in March 1956. Since 1972, reprints have included a foreword by Asimov explaining that advancing knowledge of conditions on
50: 935: 512: 90: 782: 725: 656: 330:. The observatory was built fifty years before on the site of a mining complex, which has since been abandoned. 644: 356:
and fires a blaster at Starr, whereupon Bigman tackles him and he is brought unconscious into the observatory.
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Although Swenson is ruthless and dangerous, he is the sort of critic the council needs to keep it honest.
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sources at a distance. In the mines, Starr tells Bigman that his suggestion of Sirians in the mines was a
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to the Sun. A character notes that there are places on Mercury's sunside where it is hot enough to melt
691: 663: 626: 292: 203: 684: 677: 619: 344:, and in that time a government-funded research project, Project Light, is built at the astronomical 857: 845: 544: 381:, then calls the Dome for help. On the sunside, Starr finds the source of the sabotage in a Sirian 713: 589: 575: 568: 397: 327: 277: 180: 908: 901: 670: 633: 596: 296: 291:
that originally appeared under the pseudonym Paul French. The novel was first published by
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has rendered some of the novel's descriptions of that world inaccurate.
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In the Dome, Bigman challenges Urteil to a fight in Mercurian
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was written in 1955, when it was believed that Mercury was
389:, so that it attacks him before he can question it. 893: 837: 770: 712: 643: 606: 555: 543: 469:, with its references to positronic robots and the 256: 243: 235: 227: 219: 209: 199: 189: 176: 168: 158: 148: 449:The Sirians therefore resemble the 'Solarians' of 453:, albeit less isolated and far more war-like. In 416:Although the Sirians were first introduced in 520: 8: 733:Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids 419:Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids 129: 53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 552: 527: 513: 505: 385:, driven by solar radiation to forego the 137: 128: 117:Learn how and when to remove this message 66:"Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury" 338:It has been a year since the events in 326:results in a half-mile movement of the 931:Science fiction novels by Isaac Asimov 865:Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain 747:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 495:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 484:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 308:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 273:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 131:Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury 489:Internet Speculative Fiction Database 360:succeed Peverale. The next day, at a 7: 754:Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter 465:Also noteworthy is the fact that in 262:Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter 51:adding citations to reliable sources 761:Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn 740:Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus 341:Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus 249:Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus 14: 951:Works published under a pseudonym 819:Norby and Yobo's Great Adventure 231:Print (hardback & paperback) 23: 946:American science fiction novels 941:Novels set on Mercury (planet) 804:Norby and the Queen's Necklace 1: 956:Doubleday (publisher) books 824:Norby and the Oldest Dragon 794:Norby and the Lost Princess 276:is the fourth novel in the 972: 829:Norby and the Court Jester 16:1956 novel by Isaac Asimov 783:Norby, the Mixed-Up Robot 726:David Starr, Space Ranger 136: 396:. Dr. Cook reduces the 293:Doubleday & Company 204:Doubleday & Company 799:Norby and the Invaders 699:Forward the Foundation 471:Three Laws of Robotics 387:Three Laws of Robotics 838:Other science fiction 809:Norby Finds a Villain 692:Prelude to Foundation 664:Foundation and Empire 627:The Currents of Space 487:title listing at the 936:1956 American novels 789:Norby's Other Secret 773:The Norby Chronicles 685:Foundation and Earth 620:The Stars, Like Dust 47:improve this article 858:The Gods Themselves 846:The End of Eternity 814:Norby Down to Earth 457:, Starr notes that 133: 590:The Robots of Dawn 576:The Caves of Steel 569:The Positronic Man 467:Big Sun of Mercury 455:Big Sun of Mercury 398:artificial gravity 918: 917: 909:Murder at the ABA 902:The Death Dealers 708: 707: 678:Foundation's Edge 671:Second Foundation 634:Pebble in the Sky 597:Robots and Empire 269: 268: 220:Publication place 159:Cover artist 127: 126: 119: 101: 963: 852:Fantastic Voyage 553: 529: 522: 515: 506: 430:"The planets of 257:Followed by 244:Preceded by 211:Publication date 163:Darrell K. Sweet 141: 134: 122: 115: 111: 108: 102: 100: 59: 27: 19: 971: 970: 966: 965: 964: 962: 961: 960: 921: 920: 919: 914: 889: 833: 766: 704: 639: 609:Galactic Empire 602: 539: 533: 479: 414: 336: 305: 285:science fiction 283:, six juvenile 228:Media type 212: 194:Science fiction 144: 123: 112: 106: 103: 60: 58: 44: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 969: 967: 959: 958: 953: 948: 943: 938: 933: 923: 922: 916: 915: 913: 912: 905: 897: 895: 891: 890: 888: 887: 882: 875: 868: 861: 854: 849: 841: 839: 835: 834: 832: 831: 826: 821: 816: 811: 806: 801: 796: 791: 786: 778: 776: 768: 767: 765: 764: 757: 750: 743: 736: 729: 721: 719: 710: 709: 706: 705: 703: 702: 695: 688: 681: 674: 667: 660: 652: 650: 641: 640: 638: 637: 630: 623: 615: 613: 604: 603: 601: 600: 593: 586: 579: 572: 564: 562: 550: 541: 540: 534: 532: 531: 524: 517: 509: 503: 502: 491: 478: 477:External links 475: 463: 462: 447: 446: 442: 441: 437: 436: 413: 410: 335: 332: 312:tidally locked 304: 301: 267: 266: 258: 254: 253: 245: 241: 240: 237: 233: 232: 229: 225: 224: 221: 217: 216: 213: 210: 207: 206: 201: 197: 196: 191: 187: 186: 178: 174: 173: 170: 166: 165: 160: 156: 155: 150: 146: 145: 142: 125: 124: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 968: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 932: 929: 928: 926: 911: 910: 906: 904: 903: 899: 898: 896: 894:Other mystery 892: 886: 885:Child of Time 883: 881: 880: 876: 874: 873: 869: 867: 866: 862: 860: 859: 855: 853: 850: 848: 847: 843: 842: 840: 836: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 810: 807: 805: 802: 800: 797: 795: 792: 790: 787: 785: 784: 780: 779: 777: 775: 774: 769: 763: 762: 758: 756: 755: 751: 749: 748: 744: 742: 741: 737: 735: 734: 730: 728: 727: 723: 722: 720: 718: 716: 711: 701: 700: 696: 694: 693: 689: 687: 686: 682: 680: 679: 675: 673: 672: 668: 666: 665: 661: 659: 658: 654: 653: 651: 649: 647: 642: 636: 635: 631: 629: 628: 624: 622: 621: 617: 616: 614: 612: 610: 605: 599: 598: 594: 592: 591: 587: 585: 584: 583:The Naked Sun 580: 578: 577: 573: 571: 570: 566: 565: 563: 561: 559: 554: 551: 549: 547: 542: 538: 530: 525: 523: 518: 516: 511: 510: 507: 501: 497: 496: 492: 490: 486: 485: 481: 480: 476: 474: 472: 468: 460: 459: 458: 456: 452: 451:The Naked Sun 444: 443: 439: 438: 433: 429: 428: 427: 425: 421: 420: 411: 409: 405: 401: 399: 395: 390: 388: 384: 380: 376: 372: 366: 363: 357: 355: 351: 347: 343: 342: 333: 331: 329: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 302: 300: 298: 294: 290: 286: 282: 280: 275: 274: 265: 263: 259: 255: 252: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 226: 223:United States 222: 218: 214: 208: 205: 202: 198: 195: 192: 188: 185: 183: 179: 175: 171: 167: 164: 161: 157: 154: 151: 147: 143:First edition 140: 135: 132: 121: 118: 110: 107:November 2020 99: 96: 92: 89: 85: 82: 78: 75: 71: 68: –  67: 63: 62:Find sources: 56: 52: 48: 42: 41: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 907: 900: 884: 877: 870: 863: 856: 851: 844: 828: 823: 818: 813: 808: 803: 798: 793: 788: 781: 771: 759: 752: 746: 745: 738: 731: 724: 714: 697: 690: 683: 676: 669: 662: 655: 645: 632: 625: 618: 608: 595: 588: 581: 574: 567: 557: 545: 537:Isaac Asimov 500:Open Library 494: 483: 466: 464: 454: 450: 448: 417: 415: 406: 402: 391: 371:atomic power 367: 358: 339: 337: 334:Plot summary 307: 306: 289:Isaac Asimov 278: 272: 271: 270: 260: 247: 181: 153:Isaac Asimov 130: 113: 104: 94: 87: 80: 73: 61: 45:Please help 33: 715:Lucky Starr 346:observatory 279:Lucky Starr 182:Lucky Starr 925:Categories 657:Foundation 646:Foundation 546:Foundation 535:Novels by 350:hyperspace 328:terminator 287:novels by 215:March 1956 77:newspapers 879:Nightfall 324:libration 318:and boil 200:Publisher 34:does not 548:universe 424:villains 169:Language 872:Nemesis 422:as the 394:gravity 379:blaster 362:banquet 303:Setting 297:Mercury 172:English 91:scholar 55:removed 40:sources 717:series 648:series 611:series 560:series 432:Sirius 412:Themes 354:frenzy 320:sulfur 281:series 264:  251:  184:series 177:Series 149:Author 93:  86:  79:  72:  64:  558:Robot 383:robot 236:Pages 190:Genre 98:JSTOR 84:books 375:ruse 316:lead 70:news 38:any 36:cite 498:at 239:186 49:by 927:: 528:e 521:t 514:v 120:) 114:( 109:) 105:( 95:· 88:· 81:· 74:· 57:. 43:.

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Isaac Asimov
Darrell K. Sweet
Lucky Starr series
Science fiction
Doubleday & Company
Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter
Lucky Starr series
science fiction
Isaac Asimov
Doubleday & Company
Mercury
tidally locked
lead
sulfur
libration

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