Chapter 3
by 
pistachio
Where do you want to explore next?
Darse, a moon of Thestias
Unlike our moon, Darse rotates. Each day has planet-view and star-view (either their sun or all the other stars). Planet-view is night. Star-view is day. They are so far back that they catch the light from a second star when they are behind the planet.
Their temperature goes from +5 Celsius in the first half of the month to -5 Celsius in the 2nd half of the month when they are behind the planet. 2 seasons every month.
A lot of the time the sun-star is low in the sky. Their second star is far enough away to not affect gravity and so the light is not bright. This moon has low-light conditions much of the time so creating artificial light was a priority. Many people live underground to minimize the fluctuations in light and temperature.
The plants that grow well are ones that are frost-tolerant and do not freeze until much colder temperatures. With a short growing season (half a month), most plants don't grow very tall. Unless they are coniferous, but then they still grow slowly. Plants that yield a quick harvest can be eaten.
Surface water freezes and thaws with the changing seasons. Ground water flows and is much more useful. The people have developed a qanat system (underground tunnels) to get water to settlements.
Cold-blooded animals don't exist on Darse. They'd be in hibernation too much of the time. Warm-blooded animals don't shed their coats. They are usually small animals due to the limited amount of food on the moon.
The people, Darsites, have black lips, pale irises and bright blue around their eyes to control the light they see. The fashion is to have slicked-back hair/gelled hair. Hair colours can be different. Skin colours can be different, but pale skin absorbs Vitamin D from the sun/stars better than dark skin does. And these people need all the nutrients they can get.
Due to the dry climate, Darsites discovered static electricity very early on. They harnessed electricity and learned how to control it and generate it. If electricity runs through it, they know how to build it and fix it.