Hello fellow ATS Members!
I've been doing some thinking on this topic as of late, and so I decided to start a thread to see what others might think. I did some searching
through the ATS archives, and I found a one page thread with a similar theme from back in 2006.
This earlier thread focused mostly on myth, legend, and heresay (not that I think there is anything wrong with such speculation), so I wanted to
re-examine the question, from the viewpoint of Science...
As we discover more and about the universe outside of our own Solar System, the possibilities for finding life grow exponentially. Since 1961, when
Frank Drake established his infamous equation for finding the likely-hood of intelligent life in the universe, our knowledge of Extra-Solar Planets
and Extra-Solar Systems has more than doubled.
Try the Drake Equation for yourself here:
In fact, since that time we've even established an entirely new category of system body, often referred to as 'planetoid', and we've established
that though these planetoids usually exist outside of the 'habitable zone' of a star, the possibility of life upon/within these satellites exists,
especially in planetoids that orbit close to Gas Giants (and are heated by the force of the Gas Giant's gravity).
At any rate, my point here is that we now know for certain that Extra-Solar Planets and Extra-Solar Planetoids exist in Systems across the observable
Universe. We know that these Systems contain primarily the same components (elements) found here in the Sol System.
The Math now firmly predicts the eventual discover of non terrestrial (by this I mean Earth based) life. The Math also firmly supports the
possibility that some of that life will be ‘intelligent’ as judged by our human standards.
To this end, I ask the question:
“What are the most likely Star Systems, in YOUR opinion, where Intelligent Life might originate?”
There are many star systems out there, and it’s a bit hard to narrow down what we should be looking for. In my research into this topic, I’ve
discovered a few criteria by which our search can be narrowed down:
1) Habitable Zones –
There are many different types of stars out there, and each type might well harbor a system full of planets that could well in turn harbor life. In
each type of star, the output (heat, light, energy in general) will vary, causing a different ‘habitable zone’ section of the system. The star
you target should have a fairly large habitable zone, with the possibility for planets within that zone. These zones are judged in distance from the
star called AU (AU is Astronomical Unit, 1AU = approx the distance between the Earth and the Sun).
2) Age of the Star –
A star must have been around long enough for planets to form, and must in turn have been around long enough for these planets to develop (after a
potential early bombardment phase) into stable environments suitable for life. A suitable age for such a star has been approximated (see space.com
link below) at roughly 3 Billion Years.
3) Composition of the Star –
In order for planets to form around the initial star according to the theory of coalescence, the Star needs to contain heavy metals in large
quantities, otherwise a system containing only gas planets should be expected, according to current predictions.
Space.com did a ‘Top 10’ List of Habitable Star Systems, for review, that list is here:
I would like to know your ideas (based on these and other scientific criteria) on where we should be looking for signs of Extra-Solar Life. Here is
an example of one my favorite stars, and why this particular star should NOT be at the top of our list…
Star Name: Fomalhaut
Star Habitable Zone: 2.11 AU to 6.58 AU
Age of Star: 100-300 Million Years
Composition of Star: Unknown
I use this only as an example, so that ATS members can functionally use this system for themselves to narrow down the stars they find of interest.
Most of this data can be found online, in various Astronomical Journals. If you run into an ‘Unknown’ field, that Star should not necessarily be
disqualified from the search until further data is revealed. However, should you run into a variable that does not fit the criteria (in this example,
the age of the star is far too young) we can eliminate this star system from our search, or at least move it to the bottom of the list…
So what are your thoughts? Any personal favorite Stars you’d like to put to the test? Any further criteria you’d like to add to the list?