Map to the Stars: The Zeta Reticuli Incident

This project examines the case of the Betty and Barney Hill alien abduction and the map drawn by Betty Hill, which she claimed to have been shown by aliens. Two interpretations of the Hill map are examined, and the optimal projection for matching the map to actual stars is found using both old and new astronomical data. The appearance of the best-fitting pattern shows little change when switching from old to new astronomical datasets, and both interpretations score similarly in matching to the Hill map. The conclusion is then drawn that the interpretations are not unique, and the fact that the Hill map can be matched to actual astronomical data does not constitute tangible evidence that Betty Hill received astronomical information unknown to humankind at the time of the alleged alien abduction. However, the project could be built upon by extending the algorithm to search among the full set of stars in modern catalogues as well.