Golden Age of Science Fiction

In the history of science fiction, the Golden Age is the period in which the genre is considered to have matured in American science fiction magazines, in particular Astounding Science Fiction; the period is usually referred to as the Golden Age of Science Fiction (as a whole), though sometimes more specifically as the Golden Age of Astounding. Its beginning is marked by John W. Campbell's assumption of the editorship of the magazine in the late 1930s. The end date is less agreed upon: it is often placed in the mid-1940s, though it ranges from 1941 to the early 1960s. Historiographically, the Golden Age follows the pulp era and precedes the New Wave.

Other eras have also been referred to as golden ages of science fiction in more specific contexts. For instance, the 1950s are considered to be the golden age of science fiction cinema. A common humorous statement is that "The Golden Age of science fiction is twelve" years old, or thereabouts.