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Description
More examples of my astronomical art can be seen in my DA "Paleo & Sci Illo" gallery:

[link]

KA-CHING! JACK POT! BONANZA!

This is the Honey Pot of the Goldilocks Zone!

Biologist Peter Ward has made a convincing case in his book "Rare Earths" that the conditions that make life possible on Earth are so particular that true earth-like planets may be rare in the universe. There are billions of stars in our galaxy alone. The odds that any star system might possess a habitable planet comparable to the Earth may be one in millions.

Here is a scenario that may be rarer by several orders of magnitude. The odds of a star system hosting multiple earths are remote, but it is greater than zero. Years ago, I conceived of this scheme.

The bright star in the middle of this scene is actually a super-Jupiter that orbits a G2 star like our sun. It exists in the middle of the habitable "Goldilocks Zone" of the star.

In our own Solar System Jupiter has a retinue of "Trojan" asteroids. These reside at the Lagrangian Points 30 degrees ahead and behind Jupiter in its orbit. These are gravitational libration points where smaller objects are held in co-orbit with a larger body.

Like pool balls tapped into the corner pocket this is a cluster of earth-like co-planets that reside at the L5 point of the extrasolar superjovian. Depicted are FIVE earth-like worlds existing in a Trojan pocket. Imagine living on a planet where you could look out at the night sky and see it full of other life supporting worlds.

Wait, it gets better. The superjovian itself possesses several earth-like moons of its own. In addition, the cluster of tiny blue "stars" in the upper part of the starfield represent the family of earth-like worlds that reside at the superjovian's L4 point!

In all, this star system is the home of over a DOZEN earth-like worlds. Each has its own unique biosphere and lifeforms.

This is as close to heaven as could ever be found in the exploration of the galaxy. I am surprised that I have not yet seen a science fiction story that exploits this scenario.

text & art (c) John P. Alexander

Description
More examples of my astronomical art can be seen in my DA "Paleo & Sci Illo" gallery:

[link]

KA-CHING! JACK POT! BONANZA!

This is the Honey Pot of the Goldilocks Zone!

Biologist Peter Ward has made a convincing case in his book "Rare Earths" that the conditions that make life possible on Earth are so particular that true earth-like planets may be rare in the universe. There are billions of stars in our galaxy alone. The odds that any star system might possess a habitable planet comparable to the Earth may be one in millions.

Here is a scenario that may be rarer by several orders of magnitude. The odds of a star system hosting multiple earths are remote, but it is greater than zero. Years ago, I conceived of this scheme.

The bright star in the middle of this scene is actually a super-Jupiter that orbits a G2 star like our sun. It exists in the middle of the habitable "Goldilocks Zone" of the star.

In our own Solar System Jupiter has a retinue of "Trojan" asteroids. These reside at the Lagrangian Points 30 degrees ahead and behind Jupiter in its orbit. These are gravitational libration points where smaller objects are held in co-orbit with a larger body.

Like pool balls tapped into the corner pocket this is a cluster of earth-like co-planets that reside at the L5 point of the extrasolar superjovian. Depicted are FIVE earth-like worlds existing in a Trojan pocket. Imagine living on a planet where you could look out at the night sky and see it full of other life supporting worlds.

Wait, it gets better. The superjovian itself possesses several earth-like moons of its own. In addition, the cluster of tiny blue "stars" in the upper part of the starfield represent the family of earth-like worlds that reside at the superjovian's L4 point!

In all, this star system is the home of over a DOZEN earth-like worlds. Each has its own unique biosphere and lifeforms.

This is as close to heaven as could ever be found in the exploration of the galaxy. I am surprised that I have not yet seen a science fiction story that exploits this scenario.

text & art (c) John P. Alexander