Reticulum-A Constellation And Star System,That May Be Home To Intelligent Being's.

There are more than a billion, trillion objects in the night sky that may escape our thoughts, or even imaginations for that matter. And only a very small number of those can be spotted with the naked eye, while others - only with the most powerful telescopes here on Earth.

Among these are the known planets, comets, asteroids and the constellations. Ah yes, lastly but not least are the constellations, which for the most part we are familiar with from mythological stories being told about them from ancient scholars and from stories that we had read while in school.

The constellations may be an astronomical topic, that many may find of no interest at all, or to be just plain boring to discuss during conversation. However there is always that one particular constellation that does spark interest and stirs the imagination and wants to make us know more about the unknown

That constellation of mention would be Reticulum. Reticulum in Latin stands for a small net or cross hairs. This constellation and region lies low in the Southern sky, taking on the shape of a small trapezoid or square.

Reticulum is approximately 37 to 39 million light years away from our earth. Scanning that area of the sky where this constellation lies, a pair of binoculars can bring into view, a few stellar objects within Reticulum, which the naked eye could otherwise not distinguish. On a clear, dark and moonless night, binoculars will without a doubt make viewing this binary star system, a much more pleasant task.

The Zeta Reticuli star system, is at just about magnitude 5.0. In other words, any further in distance, we would definitely need a small telescope to see this star system. The naked eye is able to make out objects that are just a little beyond magnitude 5.0, but no further in distance.

It's also interesting to note that this binary star system, is also similar in spectral class to our own sun, which is categorized as a class G2 star as, it pertains to spectral classification.

Zeta reticuli 1 and its twin, Zeta Reticuli 2 are G2 star systems as well. Looking through a pair of binoculars at this binary star system, may be deceiving at first. They both may in fact look much closer than they actually appear to be.

However this is not the case at all. In fact they are two star systems that are separated by a distance that is one-hundred times that of the distance between the Sun and Pluto for example.

They are also two unique and separate star systems, that are In other words, very capable of supporting life as we know it to be, right here on earth; despite being approximately 2 billion years old.

Overall the Zeta Riticuli system is a younger system than our own sun. Another additional piece of good news worth mentioning here, is that astronomers believe that there are one or more planets near Zeta Reticuli 1 one and Zeta Reticuli 2, that may harbor some sort of intelligent life form.

The planet or planets near this double star system, were thought to be hidden behind one of these stars, back around 2005. But if life really does exist in the form of some sort of intelligent creatures, the problem is because of its great distance of about two-hundred and twenty-seven trillion miles from earth.

That it may in turn, take some time before we are able to reach that planet in a desirable time frame, or visit its inhabitants as this system has been suggested to have, because of past supporting evidence.

To add we would have to also be well occupied as not to get too bored on the long trip to that world, or worlds, that orbits the Zeta Reticuli star system. Currently the closest star system, in proximity to our own planet, is Tau Ceti.

Tau Ceti lies in the heart of the constellation of Cetus the whale, which is approximately 11 light years distant. It is an orange yellow sun, similar to our own Sol or sun. Astronomer's also have strong factual evidence that a Jupiter like planet rotates around Tau Ceti.

This region of the sky-Tau Ceti, Eridanis, the gliese system of planets and particularly Zeta Reticuli, have fascinated astronomer's and UFO buffs alike. There has been much speculation involving extraterrestrial visitors, UFO's and alien abductions, centered around Zeta Reticuli 2, in particular.

Some people may remember back in 1961, the famous case which involved a couple from the white mountains area of New Hampshire. They were Betty and Barney Hill, who according to well documented reports, had been taken aboard an alien spacecraft, piloted by humanoids from the Zeta Reticuli system.

This case had never been proven to be a hoax and has been left as unexplained by the U.S. Air force to this very day. In other words it has never been proven that Betty and Barney Hill, were not actually spend time within the confines of a space vehicle from another world. So whose to say, that they never did experience a strange encounter of the third kind?

What's really interesting to note about this particular incident, is that number one, Betty Hill, who held a Master's degree at the time and was employed as a highly respected social worker. And her husband, Barney, who also had a respectable position as a civil rights activist working for the government, had nothing to gain by making this story up.

And secondly and probably the most bizarre and puzzling bit of information related to this case, was the following. When Betty and Barney hill, had not been able to recall a period of missing time; which amounted to two hours, from their prior road trip from southern Canada back to New Hampshire, traveling on route 3. This alone had sparked concern by everyone from astronomers to psychiatrists involved during this investigation.

Supposedly Betty Hill, while aboard this particular UFO, from the Zetal Reticuli star system, with her husband Barney during that September 19th evening. And was able to draw a star map after their experience, of where these visitors had come from.

Even to this very day, which is even more puzzling. Is given the fact that Betty Hill had remembered seeing a complex star map while aboard the UFO. Later she ended up drawing that same detailed star map, that correlated exactly to the region of space where Tau Ceti and the gliese system of known planets and particularly Zeta Reticuli one and Zeta Reticuli 2 lie, in proximity to one another.

And even in a fairly accurate position to our solar system and sun. And with both, Betty and Barney Hill, having no known, former science or astronomy background. Astronomer's had to attend to agree, that it was literally impossible for Betty Hill to draw such a star system to the tee, without knowledge of this area of the southern sky.

In addition to this information... the Zeta Reticuli star system and surrounding or nearby objects, had not been discovered until six years after the Betty and Barney Hill incident, by earth based Astronomers.

It is not hard to imagine than, how such a small constellation, in even a smaller,darker region of space; could remain a total mystery for more than forty-five years, without escaping our curiosities?

Especially given the past strange accounts that have occurred over the years, that were associated with the Zeta Reticuli system. There is just too much information in relation to this area of the night sky and issues revolving around Zeta Reticuli 1 and Zeta Reticuli 2, that would have to be continued in perhaps another separate story.

But for now, for those of you who cannot wait for that story, or other feasible explanations to this unsolved mystery. Or for those of you, whose curiosity could kill a cat, than I suggest you read a book called the interrupted journey . Here you will find something to temporarily fill that curiosity, and maybe stir your imagination just a bit more until another Betty and Barney Hill come along!