Planet secrets

Nowadays there is a constant effort to find planets orbiting around stars other than our sun. This effort is tied to try and find indications and traces of life, such as we know it. 

We are conducting the same activity on many of our solar planets, some of which we have, and are being explored by probes and satellites sent by us from Earth. So far, we cannot say that we have found any life as we know it, or traces of it. To pursue such efforts, in my opinion, is typical human. We have a tribal  bent.

Another approach we, as humans do, is to theorize, and to make the first efforts to settle on one of our solar planets, or one of its moons. I've written about this about a year ago. There seem to exist surprising and unexpected conditions on the solar planets and/or their moons.

To settle on another planet or moon requires knowing the conditions where you could suitably land and could stay.  There are a number of unexpected and surprising conditions and even movements. Enceladus, Mars, Pluto, Jupiter's Galileyan moons, are all exhibiting some unexpected responses to probes of various kind.

Right now I am reading (slowly) an interesting book about just the topics referred to above. The author is Paul Murdin, published by Pegasus Books, New York, London. The title is THE SECRET LIVES OF PLANETS, the subtitle is Order, Chaos, and Uniqueness in the Solar System. It was a ChristmasPresent to me. The price label was left on the wrapper, the price is very reasonable.

The planets farther away from the Sun may present environments which may unexpectedly be totally strange to us. If we settle long enough on one of  our sun's planet's moons, we may be making a decision to permanently be removed from Earth, and to be forever incapable of physically ever returning "home". 

For myself, I'd prefer to forego any opportunity to travel to anywhere in space. I like it here on earth, with my family and friends. My explorations of space are based on the use of telescopes. 

As an aside, if you begin astronomical efforts, use binoculars for looking at the sky. Binoculars can be generally found in a home. Read my article "Visual Aid" which I published on March 29, 2019 here. You'll probably agree that binoculars are quite versatile, i.e. birdwatching, distance viewing, navigational help when on a ship or boat, and definitly the sky on a clear night.