It was an enigma for some time, but we may finally be on the precipice of discovering it.

There has been a world in this region of space evading detection for some time. We knew roughly where it was but could not give it shape; it seemed to have no visible form, though other means of detection could reveal a blurry form.

But I think my friend has cracked it. The method is beyond my understanding, but it essentially is a form of echolocation, sending out pulses of sound and listening for the responses to make shapes out of nothing.

We have been combing this zone for a little while, and now our excitement grows as we approach where this mysterious planet seems to be, as there is a form appearing on the monitor our eyes have been glued to. As we get closer and closer, more details emerge. That's when we make a grand realization.

The world isn't reflecting sound.

It is made of sound.

It's difficult to see why this world was abandoned. Literally.

A thick haze saturates the environment. I initially had thought it to be some kind of tiny gas giant, but on a closer look it's just really, really full of dust. Winds gentle and otherwise circulate throughout the globe, kicking this dust up into the air consistently to maintain the blurry view. Hidden somewhere within are the answers to my questions.

Perhaps there is even a surprise or two to be found amongst the arid landscapes.

The lights are on, but no one's home. Not any more.

This world was abandoned long ago. As technology advanced, humanity seemed to regress. They built skyscrapers that soared, neon beacons arrogantly proclaiming their hubris though no world was near to observe it. All the while the cyan and pink glow obscured the sight of those scraping by in an existence of their own on the ground levels, the sky itself dismissed as a mere fantasy or myth as the light from above drowned it out.

It was never sustainable. I don't know if it would have been worse that those at the top were blissfully unaware of the damage their greed wrought, or if they were fully aware of it and pushed forward all the same. I suppose at the end it doesn't really matter. The result was the same.

Now all that remains of this tragedy is empty buildings, their bright lights dimming to a dull turquoise.

This world is moving on.

For decades it had been clinging to its parent star, trying to remain with some semblance of normalcy instead of facing its inevitable trek through the dark of space to someplace new. The orbit was irregular, and it pulled on the other planets in its system.

One day it was finally decided that it was time to go. Though the journey would be scary and uncertain, eventually all would resolve and it would find its place with another star.

It was a day of celebration, to be sure, but one of nostalgic melancholy as well. There was much, they thought, that would be lost.

But I don't think so.

Certainly things change. The rose tint of our past gives us a painful longing sometimes for a return, but it would never be the same. Whatever comes next is new, but it need not be bad.

So today they hold the final celebration before they embark on a new chapter. It's a time of happiness and of sadness.

Soon will come something new.

This little planet keeps its whole cosmic neighborhood running!

It runs laps around the six other planets in its system, whipping past them to make dozens of passes every year. Before its bigger siblings' denizens were able to efficiently travel through deeper space it provided a method for delivering their goods and materials between each other. Trade flourished, and because of this these planets were able to develop much more quickly than they would've on their own. By merely catching a ride on the planet as it passed, one could get to any of the other planets in a matter of days.

To this day the little speedster is revered and respected, and even used still for many of the same purposes! Everyone does their part to take care of it, and it's a brighter day for each planet whenever it passes by.

Perpetual gloom. A world forever in the dark purple glow of twilight, its star's shine perpetually choked by heavy clouds.

I feel myself dragged down into the dirt, not by weight of atmosphere but by the pull of a thousand arms of sorrow cloaked in the shadows of the gloaming. Unspoken melancholy pervades, blues in the blacklight.

Shivers down my spine warn me of eyes watching my every move. Whispers raise the hairs on my neck. A taste of iron in the air. I am tolerated here, but not for long.

Lingering here may mean my doom to be trapped in the eternal dusk.

What if the world was yours to shape?

Manufactured worlds aren't out of the ordinary; there are quite a few floating around out there in the multiverse. What this planet can do, however, is quite fascinating.

She had a dream to be able to create worlds, and she pursued it endlessly. It took most of her life, but presented here in front of me now is the clearly successful fruit of her labor. Its cosmic footprint is tiny even on the scale of other planets, but the idea is big: the ability to form the landscape at will, nearly instantaneously. As I watch, struck by the glow of passion emanating from her, she meticulously forms valleys, mountains, seas, and deserts. Like a ball of clay she shapes her vision into reality, and the world below reforms to her liking.

That alone would have been worth the trip, but then she excitedly hands me the controls, and I get to it straight away. Forests form and fall with a swipe; one moment the surface is jagged rock and the next it's a droplet of ocean. I could spend lifetimes making new places.

But there are plenty of worlds already out there, and they need their own attention. Regardless, it was a treat to experience!

It's an animal ready to bite back.

Normally this world is tranquil, a serene escape from the bustle of daily life. Many come here to spend a little time resetting themselves in the planet's energy channel, known as its Flow.

However, something has clearly disturbed the Flow. It roils and knots, like fur bristled, lashing out randomly in a tense rage. Anyone caught in the path is sent flying, an angry red line marking where they were bitten. The peace that had prevailed is now lost in fearful chaos.

I cannot do much but ferry the visitors to safety for now. A friend is coming soon that knows much more about this planet's mysterious ways.

Perhaps she will help calm it down.