A Capella

Last October a star named 51 Pegasi, previously of academic interest only, suddenly became a news item when astronomers detected a wobble in its movement through space. That wobble, they determined, was being caused by a large planet racing around the star in a tight, four-day orbit. Not only was this evidence for a planet outside our solar system, but 51 Pegasi was intriguingly similar to our own sun. No wonder backyard observers across the country began struggling to find the dim celebrity.