Down is a human colony world and the homeworld of the Grogs[1]. It orbits the M-type star L5-1668 (Luyten’s Star), significantly redder and cooler than Sol.
It is located roughly 12.3 light years from Sol and is tidally locked to its star. Down is made habitable mainly due to its large moon called Sheila.
Besides Grogs, other native species of Down include jumping rat-sized animals, skinny warm blooded quadruped fox-sized herbivores and cactus-like and succulent-like plants.[2]
Once belonging to the Kzin, it was conquered by humans.[1] Down is now a human colony world with a few scattered dots of civilization, among them the settlement of Downtown. The Laboratory for Xenobiological Research is on the outskirts of Downtown. The city also houses the Downtown Zoo with native Down fauna and Flatlander transplants. People from Down are known as Downers.[2]
Something peculiar about Downer culture is their tendency for doing things manually, such as cooking with raw vegetables and meat as opposed to using an autokitchen. Downers also seem to use old-fashioned beds as opposed to sleeping plates.[2]
Agriculture on Down requires the use of ultraviolet lights or genetically modified organism to cope with the weaker redder sun. Besides humans, Dolphins have also settled on Down and they tend to the planet's fishing industry.[2]
While the whole climate and terrain of Down is unknown, it had at least one desertic area close to Downtown which was home to Grogs and other Downer creatures. The desert was later terraformed to make way for cattle ranching and agriculture.[2]
A Bussard Ramjet Field Generator has been placed in close orbit around Down's sun to destroy the Grog population, should they take threatening action against any sentient species. [2][3]