Nightfall

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"Nightfall" is a classic science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov that explores the psychological and societal collapse of a civilization experiencing darkness and a view of the stars for the first time.

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Predicate Object
instanceOf literary work
science fiction short story
author Isaac Asimov
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
explores fragility of civilization
human reaction to the unknown
relationship between observation and belief
featuresCharacterRole religious cultists predicting doom
scientists investigating an impending eclipse
featuresConcept apocalyptic prophecy
eclipse-induced darkness
mass hysteria
multiple-sun planetary system
firstPublicationYear 1941
firstPublishedIn Astounding Science Fiction
genre science fiction
hasAdaptation Nightfall self-linksurface differs
surface form: Nightfall (novel adaptation by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg)

film adaptation Nightfall (1988 film)
radio drama adaptations
hasMotif cyclical destruction and rebirth of civilization
fear of the dark
stars as symbols of terror
hasTitleOrigin refers to the first true night on the planet
includedIn various Isaac Asimov short story collections
influenced later works about psychological effects of cosmic phenomena
inspiredBy discussion of psychological effects of darkness
language English
literaryForm prose fiction
mainTheme conflict between science and religion
cyclical catastrophe
psychological impact of darkness
societal collapse
medium magazine
narrativePerspective third-person
originalEditor John W. Campbell Jr.
surface form: John W. Campbell
originalPublisher Street & Smith
plotSummary A civilization on a planet with multiple suns faces madness and collapse when night falls and the stars become visible for the first time in living memory.
publicationType pulp magazine story
recognizedAs classic of science fiction
one of Isaac Asimov's most famous short stories
setting fictional planet with multiple suns
Gaia (fictional planet)
surface form: planet Lagash
targetAudience adult readers of science fiction magazines
timePeriodOfStory far future on another world
wordCountApproximate novelette-length
workChronologyPosition early Asimov short fiction

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Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Nightfall hasAdaptation Nightfall self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Nightfall (novel adaptation by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg)
Isaac Asimov notableWork Nightfall