Ariel
From The Firefly and Serenity Database
| |
| Ariel | |
|---|---|
| Planet information | |
| Sun orbited | |
| Moons | |
| Date terraformed | |
| Diameter |
13,016km[2] |
| Mass |
6.323x1021 tonnes[2] |
| Gravity |
1.0140[2] |
| Orbital position |
11[2] |
| Orbital distance |
3,085,456,069km (20.625 AUs)[2] |
| Orbital periods |
93.67 years/ 34,212 days[2] |
| Region | |
| Cities and towns | |
| Population |
3,615,995,500[2] |
| Affiliation | |
- "Ariel's quite nice, actually. They have some beautiful museums, not to mention some of the finest restaurants in the Core."
- ―Inara Serra[src]
Ariel was the eleventh planet of the White Sun system in the Verse. Originally designated as P/2027(White Sun)07 when it was discovered in 2027 by astronomers, the planet was terraformed by robot terraformers to allow Humans to colonize the world after the mass evacuation of Earth-That-Was. Terraforming was completed in 2266, and the planet became one of the Central planets of the Verse. By 2518, Ariel was a metropolitan world covered with glass and steel cities. It citizens had access to some of the finest examples of technology, and the planet was reputed for its medical facilities and dining establishments.
In 2517, one of the planet's hospitals—Saint Lucy's in Ariel City—was the target of an audacious scheme perpetrated by crew of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity. The crew infiltrated the hospital, bypassing its security, and stole a sizeable amount of prescription drugs that they could resell on the open market for a large sum of credits. At the same time, one of their number—fugitive doctor Simon Tam—made use of the hospital facilities to scan his sister River's brain. She had been the victim of Alliance experiments to create perfect assassins and spies. The procedures that she had endured had left her mentally unstable, prompting the doctor to try and diagnose the problem in an attempt to cure it.
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[edit] Description
Ariel (original designation P/2027(White Sun)07) was the eleventh planet in the White Sun system. Measuring 13,016 kilometers in diameter, Ariel orbited the star White Sun at a distance of 3,085,456,069 kilometers, which was equivalent to 20.625 AUs. Ariel had a surface gravity of 1.0140, and a mass of 6.323x1021 tonnes. The planet took 93.67 years to orbit around Bai Hu, which equated to 34,212 days. Three moons—Ariopolis, Shiva, and Poseidon—orbited the planet. All three were terraformed at the same time as Ariel. By 2518, Ariel boasted a population of some 3,615,995,500 inhabitants.[2]
[edit] History
Ariel, originally known as P/2027(White Sun)07, was discovered in 2027 by astronomers on Earth-That-Was in the star cluster designated 34Tauri2020. It was believed to be within acceptable limited for terraforming. With the realization that Earth-That-Was would no longer be able to sustain her population, the Global Exodus Alliance was formed to evacuate the Sol system and relocate humanity to the 34Tauri2020 star cluster. After a trip of almost one hundred and twenty years, robot terraformers began to terraform Ariel in 2220. Terrforming of the planet and its accompanying moons was completed in 2266, with colonization beginning in the same year.[2]
Like the rest of the Central planets, Ariel was highly modern and civilized. High technology was prevalent on the world, and citizens had access to laser guns, holo-scanners and flying cars. The basic needs of the population—food, shelter and medical care—were looked after, allowing the residents of the planet opportunity to think beyond their basic day-to-day survival needs. Tall buildings of glass and steel littered their cities, while holographic billboards advertised many products and services. Ariel was noted for its exceptional medical facilities,[3] which included Saint Lucy's hospital, museums and fine restaurants.[4] Most famous chefs either hailed from Ariel, or emigrated to the planet to ply their trade. Due to its status as a Central Planet, landing on Ariel was restricted; only ships with legitimate business were given clearance to make planetfall.[3]
In 2517, Saint Lucy's hospital was the target of a raid by a group of outlaws. Refurbishing a scrapped ambulance ship obtained from a junkyard, members of the crew of the Firefly-class transport ship Serenity managed to bypass hospital security with the intention of stealing a large amount of prescription drugs, including ivoprovalyn, propoxin, and hydrozapam. However, the raid had a secondary purpose; the fugitive doctor Simon Tam—who was crewing aboard the Serenity—needed access to a 3-D neuroimager to scan the brain of his sister, River Tam.[4] River Tam, an exceptionally intelligent child prodigy, had been the subject of experiments conducted by Anglo-Sino Alliance doctors in an effort to create the perfect assassin.[5] However, the experiments had left her mentally scarred, and Simon Tam sought to better understand what had been done to her so that he could attempt to reverse the damage. The raid was successful, with Doctor Tam able to complete his task, and the crew managing to secure a large amount of drugs to sell to the Rim planets.[4]
[edit] Locations
Ariel City was one of the planet's main cities. Highly urbanized, the city was full of skyscrapers and was situated on the coast. Ariel City was the location of Saint Lucy's hospital, starship docks, and a large municipal junkyard. Ariel also boasted a bioluminescent lake that citizens and visitors alike were allowed to swim in.[4]
[edit] Behind the scenes
Ariel was first shown in the Firefly episode of the same name, and was the principal setting for the show, with much of the action taking place on the surface. Ariel later received a mention in the episode The Message. Ariel's history and specific characteristics were later expanded on by various official tie-in media.
[edit] Appearances
Firefly – "Ariel" (First appearance)
- Firefly – "The Message" (Mentioned only)
