LV-426?

[180924609]

However, it is possible that it's another moon orbiting the gas giant. There were two others.

That background plate is flipped and used again while on the surface indicating - if one wanted to be literal - either the circled planet isn't LV-426, or there's another moon obscured by the planet.

Also, note how big the planet appears from space, yet notice how much smaller it is as seen from LV-426. For LV-426 to be any of the moons seen in the space shots, the planet would appear so large as to fill most of the sky. Since it's smaller than what we see in the space shots, LV-426 would have to be very far away from the planet--much further than any of the visible moons are.

Could be an eccentric orbit?

[AsapJockey]

All I know is ONE THING about that Planet

[whiterabbit]

The planet in Prometheus is not LV-426 because it gets blown the f*ck up at the end of the movie.

Or at least that's what I assume must happen... haha. 

[Wolv1337]

Prometheus isn't in Zeta 2 Reticuli at all. It's in completely different star system. It's in Eagle constellation, so that pretty much rules out LV-426.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_%28constellation

"Aquila, the pet eagle of Zeus, showed the gentler side of his nature when he carefully carried up Ganymede to Mount Olympus to be cup-bearer to his master. However, when considering the myth surrounding Prometheus, the ferocious, darker side of Aquila is very evident. Prometheus was one of the last Titan gods who became an advisor to Zeus. He was protective of humankind and, seeing how they suffered because they had no fire, he stole a ray from the Sun which he smuggled down to earth in a hollow stem. Zeus did not believe that man was worthy of such a gift, and was furious that Prometheus had acted without his permission. The well-meaning Titan was chained to the side of a mountain, stripped of his garments, and was continually attacked by Aquila. Since he was immortal, his dreadful wounds healed themselves every evening, only to be opened up again the next day by Aquila. After many years Prometheus was saved by Hercules, who agreed with his kind deed to mankind. Using his bow and arrow, he killed Aquila, who was then placed by Zeus to soar in the heavens. "









EDIT#1: Added "alignment" images.
EDIT#2: Fixed Zeta lines.

It's not spot on either. And if you look back at Eagle constellation, right above the star marked as #5 is another one that's matching the Prometheus map image.

[arachnophilia]

Considering we have four ringed gas giants in our own system, rings seem to be the rule rather than the exception. 

this is a very good point. although only two have prominent rings.

still, at a certain point, we're playing "guess what the director has in mind". they also point out on arstechnica that ridley scott spraypainted the alien sets towards the climax of the film because he got bored of white hallways and continuity be damned. would he make this big of a change and say they're the same moons? hard to say. or would he disconnect the two, like he keeps insisting? also hard to say, but i feel the safer bet.

Also, note how big the planet appears from space, yet notice how much smaller it is as seen from LV-426. For LV-426 to be any of the moons seen in the space shots, the planet would appear so large as to fill most of the sky. Since it's smaller than what we see in the space shots, LV-426 would have to be very far away from the planet--much further than any of the visible moons are.

it's clear that they're just reusing the matte painting. it would have to be in the same position the viewer is in in the first shot -- with the nostromo going the wrong direction. i don't think that's right either.

Prometheus isn't in Zeta 2 Reticuli at all. It's in completely different star system. It's in Eagle constellation, so that pretty much rules out LV-426.

interesting. can you highlight how exactly it lines up? i'm not quite seeing it. looks like alpha-beta-gamma are the stars on the right, but the other ones don't seem to quite fit perfectly.

[SM]

However, it is possible that it's another moon orbiting the gas giant. There were two others.

That background plate is flipped and used again while on the surface indicating - if one wanted to be literal - either the circled planet isn't LV-426, or there's another moon obscured by the planet.

Also, note how big the planet appears from space, yet notice how much smaller it is as seen from LV-426. For LV-426 to be any of the moons seen in the space shots, the planet would appear so large as to fill most of the sky. Since it's smaller than what we see in the space shots, LV-426 would have to be very far away from the planet--much further than any of the visible moons are.

Could be an eccentric orbit?

Possibly.  Don't suppose LV-426 having a retrograde rotation makes any difference?

[Deuterium]

Prometheus isn't in Zeta 2 Reticuli at all. It's in completely different star system. It's in Eagle constellation, so that pretty much rules out LV-426.



http://i.imgur.com/mp7Ym.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_%28constellation

"Aquila, the pet eagle of Zeus, showed the gentler side of his nature when he carefully carried up Ganymede to Mount Olympus to be cup-bearer to his master. However, when considering the myth surrounding Prometheus, the ferocious, darker side of Aquila is very evident. Prometheus was one of the last Titan gods who became an advisor to Zeus. He was protective of humankind and, seeing how they suffered because they had no fire, he stole a ray from the Sun which he smuggled down to earth in a hollow stem. Zeus did not believe that man was worthy of such a gift, and was furious that Prometheus had acted without his permission. The well-meaning Titan was chained to the side of a mountain, stripped of his garments, and was continually attacked by Aquila. Since he was immortal, his dreadful wounds healed themselves every evening, only to be opened up again the next day by Aquila. After many years Prometheus was saved by Hercules, who agreed with his kind deed to mankind. Using his bow and arrow, he killed Aquila, who was then placed by Zeus to soar in the heavens. "

Emmm...I don't know.  I don't quite see the alignment associations between the "star map" and he Aquila constellation.  Also, Altair is a very bright star, and outshines all the other stars in the Aquila constellation...so one would expect the "star map" to show one of the stars being "larger" then all the others.

Not saying you are wrong, but I am having trouble making the connection.

[arachnophilia]

Emmm...I don't know.  I don't quite see the alignment associations between the "star map" and he Aquila constellation.  Also, Altair is a very bright star, and outshines all the other stars in the Aquila constellation...so one would expect the "star map" to show one of the stars being "larger" then all the others.

Not saying you are wrong, but I am having trouble making the connection.

i would think they'd all be big, bright stars, easily observed by ancient astronomers. then again, maybe not -- if ancient astronauts gave them the figure, they'd have knowledge unknown the ancient civilizations.

btw, that "no contact" thing is a total lie. three of the civilizations are hititte, sumerian, and babylonian. the hittites and the sumerians lived practically next door to each other, and the babylonians basically inherited sumeria.

[Wolv1337]

Alignment doesn't 100% match neither of those 2 constellations, but thinking out of the box might bring up some new ideas / searches / discussions / revelations.

[Eva]

Hmmm.... the Aquila connection surely seems interesting - I can sort of see how the major stars align. The nearest stars are relatively near Earth (closer than Zeta Reticuli II), so a mission there with early FTL technology is entirely plausible within the logic of the established universe.

Then there's the notion that right beneath Aquila, you find the Sagittarius constellation, which is theorized to be the origin of the Wow! signal.... hmmm

If this indeed turns out to be the location for the plot of Prometheus, Wolf1337 deserves an instant 'Ripley' rank instead of that 'Alien Egg' nonsense for figuring it out. 

[arachnophilia]

It's not spot on either. And if you look back at Eagle constellation, right above the star marked as #5 is another one that's matching the Prometheus map image.

SM noted that alpha usrae majoris (his candidate) was a spectroscopic binary star.

[jeremy_ray]

If it's not LV-426 Ridley has done a terrible job differentiating the two moons, and the two SJ ships.  I don't see any reason not to make the planet and the ship more different if they're supposed to be different.  Put a third arm on the SJ ship - boom, now you know 100% they aren't the same.  Make the moon a regular planet and not a moon around another ringed gas giant.  Make it a desert planet or an ice planet or a lava planet (look how well locations were differentiated in Star Wars).  Why would Ridley risk confusing the audience? 

I would chalk up the minor differences in the ship structure etc. to the film making process.  There were little changes to the Enterprise E between the Next Gen films too.  There are little changes to the Imperial Star Destroyers between A New Hope and Empire.   Only the super hard core fans noticed. 

To me the gross similarities between LV 426, this moon, and the SJ ships are more important than the minor changes in detail.           

[arachnophilia]

Make the moon a regular planet and not a moon around another ringed gas giant.  Make it a desert planet or an ice planet or a lava planet (look how well locations were differentiated in Star Wars).  Why would Ridley risk confusing the audience? 

the moons are quite different. one is a ball of ice and rock that's constantly churning in thick atmospheric storms. the other looks a lot like it could be on earth.

I would chalk up the minor differences in the ship structure etc. to the film making process.  There were little changes to the Enterprise E between the Next Gen films too.  There are little changes to the Imperial Star Destroyers between A New Hope and Empire.   Only the super hard core fans noticed. 

fwiw, i can tell the difference between the 4-foot and the 6-foot enterprise D pretty easily.

[SM]

To me the gross similarities between LV 426, this moon, and the SJ ships are more important than the minor changes in detail.     

What "gross similarities" are there in the planets?

[Sgt. Apone]

If it's not LV-426 Ridley has done a terrible job differentiating the two moons, and the two SJ ships.  I don't see any reason not to make the planet and the ship more different if they're supposed to be different.  Put a third arm on the SJ ship - boom, now you know 100% they aren't the same.  Make the moon a regular planet and not a moon around another ringed gas giant.  Make it a desert planet or an ice planet or a lava planet (look how well locations were differentiated in Star Wars).  Why would Ridley risk confusing the audience? 

I would chalk up the minor differences in the ship structure etc. to the film making process.  There were little changes to the Enterprise E between the Next Gen films too.  There are little changes to the Imperial Star Destroyers between A New Hope and Empire.   Only the super hard core fans noticed. 

To me the gross similarities between LV 426, this moon, and the SJ ships are more important than the minor changes in detail.         

He made the moons pretty damn different to me.