New Prometheus featurette : Origins

[Winkie Bear]

You should check out the Exoplanet Catalogue (http://exoplanet.eu/) which has 763 confirmed entries to date. Astronomers already know of roughly Earth-sized planets, and I think it will be a matter of 10-20 years before we have seen real Earth analogues, where we can observe the signatures of water, oxygen, and maybe even life.

Reading through the wikipedia entry for Z-2-R I notice a few interesting facts. The star is very similar in brightness to our sun, but is fairly young, perhaps much as 1/5 the age of our sun. Also, the star has a very low abundance of heavy elements, which would seem to suggest that rocky/metallic planets are unlikely. Also, there are some observations that indicate a dust disk around the star at about the same distance as our asteroid belt.

[whiterabbit]

Astronomers already know of roughly Earth-sized planets, and I think it will be a matter of 10-20 years before we have seen real Earth analogues, where we can observe the signatures of water, oxygen, and maybe even life.

More like 2-3 years.

The two stars are somewhat deficient in metals, having only 60% of the proportion of elements other than hydrogen and helium as compared to the Sun. For reasons that remain uncertain, they have an anomalously low abundance of beryllium. Both stars are considered unusual because they have a lower luminosity than is normal for main sequence stars of their age and surface temperature.

Sure sounds like someone is harvesting the stars power. Maybe a dyson spear? A similar idea is seen in the orerry.

[Master]

I really think he meant to say star when talking about zeta II reticuli. The large gas giant is probably called Io.

Also I get the hint that when shaw says she was so wrong; she talking about her belief in god.

I think it`s RS mistake and won`t have any impact on film.

edit: oh and for those saying that there is already a moon called Io around Jupiter; maybe in the ancient texts they find the planet is called Io and decided to stick with it. Because otherwise this is one heck of a screw up.

IO is anciant name of Zeus`s (Jupiter`s) lover. Other major moons of Jupiter ( called Galilean Moons) are Europ, Ganymede and Callisto) also have mitological names.

[Winkie Bear]

Astronomers already know of roughly Earth-sized planets, and I think it will be a matter of 10-20 years before we have seen real Earth analogues, where we can observe the signatures of water, oxygen, and maybe even life.

More like 2-3 years.

The two stars are somewhat deficient in metals, having only 60% of the proportion of elements other than hydrogen and helium as compared to the Sun. For reasons that remain uncertain, they have an anomalously low abundance of beryllium. Both stars are considered unusual because they have a lower luminosity than is normal for main sequence stars of their age and surface temperature.

Sure sounds like someone is harvesting the stars power. Maybe a dyson spear? A similar idea is seen in the orerry.

Interesting. If it were a complete Dyson Sphere you'd expect only to see the star in the infrared. There are reasonable explanations for all the observations of the two zeta reticuli stars; in other words you don't need to resort to possible extra-terrestrial engineering. But I don't think it can be ruled out either....

[JKS1]

Great post, thanks for sharing

This movie looks more and more stunning with each new snippet of footage and Fassbender's David seems to be emerging as one of the coolest characters ever - my prediction is that Fassbender completely steals the show with this one

[whiterabbit]

Astronomers already know of roughly Earth-sized planets, and I think it will be a matter of 10-20 years before we have seen real Earth analogues, where we can observe the signatures of water, oxygen, and maybe even life.

More like 2-3 years.

The two stars are somewhat deficient in metals, having only 60% of the proportion of elements other than hydrogen and helium as compared to the Sun. For reasons that remain uncertain, they have an anomalously low abundance of beryllium. Both stars are considered unusual because they have a lower luminosity than is normal for main sequence stars of their age and surface temperature.

Sure sounds like someone is harvesting the stars power. Maybe a dyson spear? A similar idea is seen in the orerry.

Interesting. If it were a complete Dyson Sphere you'd expect only to see the star in the infrared. There are reasonable explanations for all the observations of the two zeta reticuli stars; in other words you don't need to resort to possible extra-terrestrial engineering. But I don't think it can be ruled out either....

It definitely would make for a good sci-fi story and that is what Prometheus has morphed into. It has gone form a story about space jockeys and xenomorphs to a "what if" all of that ancient astronaut bullshit is true. A what if idea working around feasibility. To me that is what a sci-fi movie is supposed to be about. I know it's a tight rope but it's similar to how the new star trek movie, aside from names and universe, was not a star trek movie at all. There was no real attempt to insert any "feasible" science fiction nor moral delima in it. I think Ridley is really trying to put the sci-fi back into science fiction movies. If that makes any sense?


Oh and xenomorph cameo.

[Ruzena]

Having said that, "Zeta II Reticuli is a moon just off Io" is total arse-wipe. Well spotted Eva.

Zeta II Reticuli is a real star about 32 light years from our sun. And Io is a small rocky moon of Jupiter!  Pfff

Also, rather naughty to have a moon in an inclined orbit so near the rings - gravitational torques would bend the rings, or more likely scatter ring material inwards, where it will enter the atmosphere, or scatter it outwards. Who was the science advisor I wonder...?

how in gods name do you guys know this information? you seem to know more about the universe then RS? lol

I'm a planetary scientist, it's my job to know this sort of sh*t

so all this planets, Reta-zawhatchmacallit an LV-bigbollocks etc all exist in real life? :0 MIND=BLOWN

Yes all this bollocks exist in real life for people who take the f**king care and read a bit about the worlsd that surrounds them... Either you are troll sir, {according to the number of posts you have you aren't}, or you play dumb on purpose, or, and I don't wanna to say that, you are ral ignorant idiot ;]

[DendaReloaded]

Astronomers already know of roughly Earth-sized planets, and I think it will be a matter of 10-20 years before we have seen real Earth analogues, where we can observe the signatures of water, oxygen, and maybe even life.

More like 2-3 years.

The two stars are somewhat deficient in metals, having only 60% of the proportion of elements other than hydrogen and helium as compared to the Sun. For reasons that remain uncertain, they have an anomalously low abundance of beryllium. Both stars are considered unusual because they have a lower luminosity than is normal for main sequence stars of their age and surface temperature.

Sure sounds like someone is harvesting the stars power. Maybe a dyson spear? A similar idea is seen in the orerry.

Interesting. If it were a complete Dyson Sphere you'd expect only to see the star in the infrared. There are reasonable explanations for all the observations of the two zeta reticuli stars; in other words you don't need to resort to possible extra-terrestrial engineering. But I don't think it can be ruled out either....

It definitely would make for a good sci-fi story and that is what Prometheus has morphed into. It has gone form a story about space jockeys and xenomorphs to a "what if" all of that ancient astronaut bullshit is true. A what if idea working around feasibility. To me that is what a sci-fi movie is supposed to be about. I know it's a tight rope but it's similar to how the new star trek movie, aside from names and universe, was not a star trek movie at all. There was no real attempt to insert any "feasible" science fiction nor moral delima in it. I think Ridley is really trying to put the sci-fi back into science fiction movies. If that makes any sense?


Oh and xenomorph cameo.

guurl, that's the medical pod, not an alien

[Eva]

guurl, that's the medical pod, not an alien

Agreed 

[metalos]

"What I wanna do is scare the living sh*t out of you." 

[Winkie Bear]

"What I wanna do is scare the living shit out of you." 

Got my adult nappy to go with my ticket to the midnight May 31st screening - woohoo

[Kev Loaf]

Having said that, "Zeta II Reticuli is a moon just off Io" is total arse-wipe. Well spotted Eva.

Zeta II Reticuli is a real star about 32 light years from our sun. And Io is a small rocky moon of Jupiter!  Pfff

Also, rather naughty to have a moon in an inclined orbit so near the rings - gravitational torques would bend the rings, or more likely scatter ring material inwards, where it will enter the atmosphere, or scatter it outwards. Who was the science advisor I wonder...?

how in gods name do you guys know this information? you seem to know more about the universe then RS? lol

I'm a planetary scientist, it's my job to know this sort of sh*t

so all this planets, Reta-zawhatchmacallit an LV-bigbollocks etc all exist in real life? :0 MIND=BLOWN

Yes all this bollocks exist in real life for people who take the f**king care and read a bit about the worlsd that surrounds them... Either you are troll sir, {according to the number of posts you have you aren't}, or you play dumb on purpose, or, and I don't wanna to say that, you are ral ignorant idiot ;]

We have a badass over here.

The person who I questioned (the scientist) did not get upset over my ignorant comments so don't get your knickers in a twist. I suggest you go home, get a hoover/vacum and take the sand out of your vagina.

Peace.

[DendaReloaded]

can someone do a little transcript (guuurls, i did one for the russain 3minute featuerette too)
the part where shaw talks etc...puuuhleaaasse

[wmmvrrvrrmm]

Something doesn't add up with Ridley mentioning the planet as Z2R (it's a star - not a planetoid) and mentioning Io, which is a Jupiter moon - or it's edited out of context or something...

Ridley insists in referring to Zeta II Reticuli as a planet which he has already done a couple of years back

[Xenomorphine]

Having said that, "Zeta II Reticuli is a moon just off Io" is total arse-wipe.

It disappoints me how he didn't seem to realise it's the very same place he set his original film around. He should know this stuff.

Who was the science advisor I wonder...?

Some random dude they grabbed off of IMDB...

This movie looks more and more stunning with each new snippet of footage and Fassbender's David seems to be emerging as one of the coolest characters ever - my prediction is that Fassbender completely steals the show with this one

Much like the technology in general, that particular use of cynical humour is starting to make him seem more advanced than the models like Ash and Bishop. Which, y'know, I can deal with, but like I've said before, it's going to make the series look weird, as a whole, when you try and view them as one long continuity.

I know Ridley wanted to just get out all the shiny new toys, but this project keeps feeling like they should've hired someone to look over the technological concepts to see if they fit in with the other films. I keep getting the strangest feeling that, by the end of this, we'll be left with weird nagging questions like, "Why didn't Hicks just tell everyone to use their old XZ-9 Bio-Neutralisers? Things sure would've been a whole lot simpler..."