Kaid (40 Eridani) (Omicron 2 Eridani) -- Multiple Star in Eridanus
Mr. Spock’s Home World
Vulcan, the home planet of Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, just happened to be close to where I was
finishing up my observing period on the morning of October 15, 2020. What better way to
close the night than to give it a visit? Omicron-2 Eridani (also called 40 Eridani) has the ancient
name of Keid meaning “egg shells”. I do not know why, except that these egg shells were thrown
out of a nearby nest (but who’s nest I do not know).
Keid is a triple star system only 16.5 light years away. All three stars in the system are dwarf
stars smaller than our sun. The B-component of the system is a white dwarf and is one of the
easiest white dwarf stars to see through amateur telescopes. Because Keid is so close to Earth
and displays such a high proper motion against the background stars, it has been studied in
detail – and thus the reason I could find all the information provided with the drawing.
In 2018 a planet eight-times the size of Earth was discovered orbiting around the A-component
star once every 42.4 days. This planet receives nine-times the energy from Keid as Mercury
does from our sun. This sure sounds like a Vulcan-like planet to me.
finishing up my observing period on the morning of October 15, 2020. What better way to
close the night than to give it a visit? Omicron-2 Eridani (also called 40 Eridani) has the ancient
name of Keid meaning “egg shells”. I do not know why, except that these egg shells were thrown
out of a nearby nest (but who’s nest I do not know).
Keid is a triple star system only 16.5 light years away. All three stars in the system are dwarf
stars smaller than our sun. The B-component of the system is a white dwarf and is one of the
easiest white dwarf stars to see through amateur telescopes. Because Keid is so close to Earth
and displays such a high proper motion against the background stars, it has been studied in
detail – and thus the reason I could find all the information provided with the drawing.
In 2018 a planet eight-times the size of Earth was discovered orbiting around the A-component
star once every 42.4 days. This planet receives nine-times the energy from Keid as Mercury
does from our sun. This sure sounds like a Vulcan-like planet to me.