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Bellatrix

Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky. Its name refers to Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology. The supergiant star Betelgeuse is located in the celestial area that constitutes Orion's 'right shoulder', while the star Bellatrix (Gamma Orionis) serves as the 'left shoulder'.

Planet of the Apes[]

In Pierre Boulle's original novel La Planète des Singes, in 2500 Professor Antelle, a genius French scientist, perfected a new acceleration rocket that could travel at nearly the speed of light. The Professor, his friend Ulysse Mérou and a physicist named Arthur Levain flew off in this ship to explore outer space, hoping to make contact with some intelligent alien civilization. They travelled to the nearest star system that the professor theorized might be capable of life - the red sun Betelgeuse, some 300 light years away. Due to time dilation, however, the trip seemed to the travellers only to last two years. They arrived at the distant solar system and found that it contained an Earth-like planet, which they named 'Soror' (Latin for 'sister'), "because of its resemblance to our Earth." They landed on the planet and discovered that they could breathe the air, drink the water, and eat the local vegetation.

In the 1968 film Planet of the Apes, in 3978 ANSA astronauts Taylor, Dodge, and Landon crash-landed on a planet which they mistakenly believed to be located within the constellation of Orion. Dodge theorized that the planet they were stranded on may have been in orbit around Bellatrix. In truth however, they were actually on Earth, and the star that they briefly mistook for Bellatrix was in fact Earth's sun - Sol. Bellatrix is 240 light years away from Earth. But they were correct that the star was "too bright" to be Bellatrix.

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