Dear Jessica Brennan,
Am I the only one seriously excited about these newly discovered 7 fantastic planets? I have been reading about them with keen interest. The planets are called exoplanets, which doesn’t sound very inclusive so we may need to rethink that particular handle. I’m sure the inhabitants, the exoplanetarians, call themselves something much more approachable when they are sitting around their kitchen tables. They circle a star in the Aquarius constellation called Trappist-1. Now Trappist-1 is a great name, and is described as ultra-cool and despite science using this term in reference to temperature not swank, I couldn’t agree more. It sounds like a rapper, which is very ultra-cool. Someday maybe it will be called the star formerly known as Trappist-1, but for now Trappist-1 will do just fine.
Aquarius by definition is the water-bearer and these lovely, fresh planets floating among the stars may very well bear water, and in 2018 with the launch of the James Webb telescope we should be able to confirm the presence of H20, which means these little beauties may also have life, intelligent life, which is a natural resource we are lacking in significant quantities here at the moment.
At only 39 light years away, if we leave now, and don’t hit any crazy traffic, we can arrive there just around tea-time in the year 177017.
We haven’t determined out how to communicate across light years but I think that figuring out communication, may in fact be more feasible than actually getting ourselves there anytime soon. We might be able to watch the exoplanetarians before we can talk to them given the telescope technology we have to build on, but what if they’re already watching us? How exciting! (Look busy). In fact they may be on their way here and may have already sent communications we haven’t received yet. Just because we don’t know how to communicate doesn’t mean they don’t.
The whole lightyears thing does my head in, but if I am reading this right, I think they may be sending us messages that will arrive last Christmas or we might send them something today that will get to them in 324 BC. Look, I read 11.22.63 (and it is a long book) and I am an avid Outlander fan. I know how these things work. Seriously, I have read about lightyear time and putting it mildly, it’s messed up. Don’t even try to figure it out. Your head will explode.
I bet it’s nice in Aquarius. It sounds nice. I hope they are happy there. I wonder what their currency is. I hope it’s kindness, not money.
I feel a little anxiety about how to best welcome our seven new friends if they get to us before we get to them which is inevitable if we keep watching reality television instead of paying attention to things other than our navels. What sort of party should we throw? It has to be sensational! It’s going to set the tone for our whole relationship. Should we let them rest first after their journey or just meet them with laser shows and fireworks?
Maybe they are more Zen though. Perhaps 24 hours of yoga and meditation would be better. How will we know what dietary concerns to take into account, and what sort of music they like? I’m thinking to be safe we should be scent and gluten free, and only play The Beatles.
Perhaps in the end a polite, old fashioned introduction might best set the tone. If they’re watching us and we’re watching them, maybe we should just wave.
Love Mum
xo
