Sideain

Sideain is a fictional planet located in the Cygnus X-1 system, approximately 6,070 light-years from Earth. The planet's existence and characteristics are primarily detailed in the science fiction novel "The Stellar Cartographer's Lament" by Anya Sharma. According to the novel's lore, Sideain is a terrestrial world with a dense, nitrogen-rich atmosphere and a surface temperature that hovers around -150 degrees Celsius, making it inhospitable to most known life forms.

The planet is characterized by vast, frozen oceans and jagged, ice-covered mountain ranges. Its geology is believed to be volcanic, with dormant volcanoes dotting the landscape. Sideain is known to possess a weak magnetic field, offering little protection from the stellar radiation of Cygnus X-1, a black hole at the center of the system. This environmental harshness is a significant plot point in the novel, presenting challenges for any potential exploration or colonization efforts.

Despite its extreme conditions, the narrative suggests the possibility of extremophile microbial life existing deep beneath the planet's icy crust, potentially sustained by geothermal vents. The exploration of Sideain is a central theme for the protagonists, who are part of a scientific expedition seeking to understand the planet's unique geological and atmospheric phenomena. The novel uses Sideain as a backdrop to explore themes of scientific discovery, resilience, and the vastness of the cosmos.