Ovack

Ovack is a fictional planet featured in the science fiction novel "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury. The planet is depicted as having a thin atmosphere and a barren, desert-like surface. It is inhabited by a race of human-like beings known as Martians, who are characterized by their telepathic abilities and their advanced, yet ultimately doomed, civilization. The Martians on Ovack are shown to be deeply connected to their planet, their culture and existence intrinsically linked to its harsh environment.

The narrative of "The Martian Chronicles" often contrasts the Martians of Ovack with the arriving human colonists from Earth. The humans, driven by expansion and a different set of values, find Ovack to be a desolate world, unaware of the rich history and sophisticated society that once thrived there. The Martians, in turn, view the humans with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, recognizing the potential for conflict and destruction that the newcomers represent. Ovack serves as a melancholic backdrop for themes of loss, cultural collision, and the ephemeral nature of civilizations. The planet's fate, mirroring that of its inhabitants, is one of decline and eventual disappearance, a poignant reflection on the consequences of unchecked ambition and the fragility of life.