The New Twilight Zone: The Star

Today on Far Future Horizons we present "The Star" which was the third and final segment of the thirteenth episode from the first season (1985-1986) of the television series The New Twilight Zone which first aired on December 20, 1985. This episode was based on the short story "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke.

On an interstellar journey, far in the future, an astrophysicist and a priest debate about the existence of God in the wonders of the universe. The astrophysicist, Dr. Chandler, believes in the random patterns, but the priest, Father Matthew Costigan, believes it is God's grand design. While having their friendly debate and wishing each other a merry Christmas, their ship picks up a subspace signal from a long-dead world. Father Matthew, also a physicist, claims it is impossible that a world could have survived its star going supernova. The planet was so far from the star when it exploded that it escaped the worst.

Upon landing on the now-dead planet, the explorers discover that the planet holds the last remains of a race which was destroyed when the supernova hit. Their civilization was quite advanced, with remnants of art and other pieces of their culture. Along with a computer record of their entire history comes evidence that they had had a thousand years of peace before their extinction. The captain requests Father Matthew to determine when the star went supernova. He calculates that the star exploded in the year 3120 B.C.

To his dismay, however, Father Matthew realizes that it would have taken 3120 years for the light from this explosion to reach Earth, in the Eastern Hemisphere. This star was the same star that shone down on Earth the day Jesus was born, "The Star of Bethlehem".

This episode of the Twilight Zone is based on a short story, "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke, which was first published in Infinity Science Fiction (November, 1955). However, while Clarke's story ended with the priest in despair after the revelation that the alien civilization had perished in order to light "the Christmas star," the TV episode included the addition of an epitaph by the aliens, revealing their optimism about their place in the universe.Author's Note:

I would like to wish all our dear readers a blessed and joyous holiday season and for the coming New Year we would like to bestow upon all of you this heartfelt wish:



As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family and our friends.

Let us release our grudges, our anger and our pains, for these are nothing but binding chains. Let us live each day in the most loving ways, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need, regardless of race, colour or creed.

Let us keep God of our own understanding in our hearts and to chant God’s name each day. Let us lead the world from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth and from wrong to right.

Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none.

May your year be filled with peace, prosperity and love. May God's blessings shower upon you and bestow upon each of you a bright, healthy and peaceful new year.

The New Twilight Zone is available on DVD from Amazon Books.

The New Twilight Zone: The Star
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