- "The real Christmas Star. Able to cross galaxies at speeds we couldn't even dream of."
- - Hastings, "Scarecrow"
The Christmas Star was a supposed superbolide meteor that impacted Earth prior to Netflix's Lost in Space. The impact caused widespread ecological devastation.
The "Christmas Star," was, in fact, an elaborate cover for the fact that the impact was actually caused by the impact of an alien vessel which was captured and commandeered by the U.S. government.
Description[]
On Christmas Eve 2044, the news reported that a superbolide meteor has struck the Earth. It was dubbed by the media the "Christmas Star" because it hit the Earth on Christmas Day. The initial impact caused widespread ecological devastation, tainting the atmosphere with ash permanently, and blocking light from the sun.
In actuality, an Alien Spaceship had impacted Earth, and the US Government covered it up following the discovery of an Alien Engine and Robot that could travel faster than the speed of light. Maureen Robinson noted that the impact followed none of the NEO models that would have predicted and detected the impact months prior, and that the meteor did not behave as it should have, with it not releasing any particulate as it entered the atmosphere, or any fallout meteor that would have been expected.
News broadcast regarding supposed meteorite ash from the Christmas Star
A couple of years later, it is discovered that the crash of the Christmas Star was not the first contact between humanity and the Robots: on December 21, just a few days before the crash, an unidentified Robot found the long-lost Fortuna in orbit over the shattered planet. By scanning Grant Kelly while he was in cryosleep, the Robots were able to locate Earth, leading to them sending the ship that would become known as the Christmas Star, possibly on a mission to destroy humanity as the Robots had done to their creators. ("Final Transmission")
Ecological Effects[]
Although not an extinction level event like the Chicxulub Impactor, the impact caused widespread devastation the Earth's ecosystem and atmosphere, with ash reaching Europe and the Middle East within a week of the impact.
Dense particulate matter and ash quickly merged into the atmosphere, blocking out most of the sun's light, and making the air on the ground near unbreathable. Presumably, crop failures and food shortages caused governments and countries to fall into anarchy, and the lack of breathable air led to an immigrant crisis, requiring homes to put up perimeter fences to keep people out.
Alpha Centauri Colonist Program[]
Following the impact, and the discovery of advanced alien technology, the US Government created the Alpha Centauri Colonist Program. Due to the ecological crisis that was unfolding, it was widely understood that Earth could not sustain human life for much longer. The Alien Engine and the Robot (dubbed "Scarecrow") were stolen, and used to build the Resolute, the Colony Ship that would carry people to Alpha Centauri, a star system that with technology of the time would not be in reach within a human life.
However, with the use of the Alien Engine, the length of the trip would be cut down considerably, enough to make it practical, and achievable.
The Robinsons, due to the ecological crisis, eventually decided to go to Alpha Centauri, joining the 24th Colonist Mission in 2047.
Trivia[]
- When weighing the pros and cons of going to Alpha Centauri, Maureen Robinson noted that if they remained on Earth, they would never see a blue sky again.
- A Superbolide Meteor is a meteor that is extremely bright, being roughly 100 times brighter than a Full Moon on a clear night.
- The Robot ships seen in the series are typically around the size of a Jupiter spacecraft, (Exceptions do exist, such as THAR's ship, which Absolutely DWARFED the J2!) making it strange that an impact from one would cause such a major impact on the Earth.