In Greek mythology, Hades was the god of the underworld. He was a brother to Zeus, Poseidon, and Demeter.
Despite his title as the god of death, Hades was not a mean or cruel deity. In fact, he often accompanied souls to their final resting place.
Hades (Tau Ceti d)
Tau Ceti d (PxP-3), is a super-Earth that orbits around the star Tau Ceti at a distance similar to Mercury’s orbit. It is one of five exoplanets discovered on December 19, 2012, that orbit the star.
The planet’s name is derived from the Greek god Hades, which means “hell” or “death.” In Greek mythology, Hades was the Roman king of the Underworld and the Greek equivalent of Pluto. He was also a patron of Athens and is sometimes known as the “king of the dead.”
A new study found that three of the four rocky worlds orbiting Tau Ceti are in the habitable zone of their parent star, meaning that liquid water could potentially exist on their surfaces. The other two are not in the habitable zone and, if they had atmospheres like Earth’s, would likely be too hot for liquid water to exist on their surfaces.
Researchers used a combination of astronomical data from the High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at W. M. Keck Observatory, the Anglo-Australian Planet Search (AAPS) at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawaii, and the HARPS spectrograph in Chile to find the planets orbiting Tau Ceti. They discovered five exoplanets in total, with Tau Ceti d being the third of the planets to be discovered.
This rocky world is a little smaller than Venus and has an Earth-like surface temperature of about C. It’s about 1.33 AU away from its host star, and it takes it 1.7 Earth years to complete a single orbit.
It’s part of a disk of rocky and icy debris that surrounds Tau Ceti, and it’s estimated to be about ten times denser than the Kuiper Belt. This is a problem for future exoplanets, as it could mean that they will be exposed to more impacts than Earth.
In addition, this asteroid thicket is thought to be filled with rocks and ice that have been heated by the Sun’s intense radiation over billions of years. Moreover, it’s surrounded by a disk of ice and rock that encircles the star and is thought to be about a million miles wide, comparable to the size of the Kuiper Belt in our own solar system.
According to a paper in Astronomy & Astrophysics, the presence of the asteroid thicket indicates that the planets in Tau Ceti’s system may be more exposed to harsher weather conditions than Earth. This makes it less likely that life will be possible on any of the planets in the system.
The research team is now working to determine if any of the planets in Tau Ceti’s star system could be capable of supporting life. The team plans to use a combination of reflected light and direct imaging to observe the planets in greater detail.
The team also hopes to refine their radial-velocity measurements, which will allow them to confirm the planets’ existence and measure their orbits. The team will then analyze the results and make more accurate estimates of their mass, allowing them to identify whether they are rocky or gaseous planets. They will then be able to better understand the planets’ atmospheres, surface temperatures, and other physical characteristics.
Hades I
Among the Greek gods, Hades is not as well-known as his brothers Zeus and Poseidon. He presided over the Underworld, an unseen realm where dead souls go after death. He also governed funeral rites and he was responsible for the right to a proper burial.
According to the Greek myths, Hades was a child of Titans Cronus and Rhea and he inherited his father’s dark side. He was known for abducting Demeter’s daughter Persephone, whom he married and had several children with.
After the Titans were wiped out, Hades was the new ruler of the Underworld. He lived in his kingdom and interacted with figures that inhabited the five rivers of the Underworld: Acheron (woe), Cocytus (lamentation), Phlegethon (fire), Styx (hate) and Lethe (oblivion).
In art, Hades is often depicted as a bearded regal god. He is tall with a long nose and azure skin. He wears a helm and has a bident in his hand.
He has a muscular physique and trails of white scars crisscross his upper body. He is usually illustrated with black eyes, but when he is angry, his sclera will turn dark red.
When he is not in his regal form, he can transform into a grotesque monster that resembles a lion, or as an evil clown, and he can use this appearance to frighten people. He is also believed to be able to release stardust from his skin, which will then spread over an area and turn it into a hazy night blanket.
Although he was a fearsome figure, Hades was polite and kind to mortals who were in his domain. He was particularly fond of heroes, who were given the opportunity to visit him in the Underworld.
Some of the best-known heroes who were sent to the Underworld included Hercules, Odysseus, Orpheus, Theseus and Peirithoos. During their journeys, they would sometimes find themselves in the fields of Asphodel where they would be surrounded by the shades of heroes who were lost to the world, but could only reawaken for a time with libations from the living.
The Greeks also considered Hades to be the protector of treasure, especially those that were buried deep in the Earth. He was said to guard precious gems and gold that had been hidden beneath the Earth.
He was also known to have many consorts, including Leuce and Minthe.
In most stories, Hades is never shown to be a cruel or mean-spirited god, and the only time we see him this way is when he abducts Persephone from her mother, Demeter. He was also a good and wise ruler who took care of his domain and did not harm any of the inhabitants there.
His piety and respect for the goddess Nyx helped him maintain a healthy balance between his two personalities. Moreover, his piety and reverence for her helped him retain his dignity as the ruler of the Underworld.
The Greeks were not averse to euphemizing Hades, as they used phrases like Eubuleus and Dis instead of his name. This is a reflection of their aversion to addressing him by his real name, which they felt was too dark and ghastly. They did not want to create a distorted version of the god and he was never portrayed as a tyrant or a demon, but as an intelligent and caring ruler.