From Stuart Goldman, Sky & Telescope
While it is true that some Star Trek literature refers to
Epsilon Eridani as the home star of Vulcan
(Feedback, 2 September),
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry decided, with the help of some
astronomers, that the star 40 Eridani was a better choice.
One of the reasons was that Epsilon Eridani is only 1 billion years old,
while 40 Eridani is 4 billion years old. The details were explained in a letter,
co-authored by Roddenberry, which appeared in the July 1991 issue of Sky
& Telescope magazine.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
