Nemesis

In astronomy, the Nemesis Hypothesis postulates that our Sun may have a yet undetected companion star called “Nemesis.”

When the Nemesis star’s orbit brings it closer to our solar system, its gravity disturbs the Oort Cloud, a mass of comets one light-year from the Sun. As a result of these disturbances, a high number of comets are driven through the inner solar system, with a resulting increase in impact events on earth. K-T (Kreidezeit-Tertiary), the massive dinosaur extinction of the Cretaceous-Tertiary period and Late Eocene period, is an example of such an event.

NeMesis for orchestra is divided into three sections: the “Nemesis” music is grounded and solid; the “Oort Cloud” music is more vaporous and mysterious; and the “K-T” impact music is rhythmic and forceful. Musical motives, drawn from a nine-note source scale, help to link the three sections, creating a musical analogue for this intriguing cosmic phenomenon.