Five stars worth knowing about

Astronomers have identified five stars that they feel are the best candidates for extra-terrestrial intelligence:

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Top stars picked in alien search

Beta CVn: a Sun-like star 26 light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici (the hound dogs)

HD 10307: has almost the same mass, temperature and iron content of the Sun

HD 211 415: has about half the metal content of the Sun and is a bit cooler

18 Sco: a near match for the Sun in the constellation Scorpio

51 Pegasus: a Jupiter-like planet has been found here; may also host planets like Earth

I'm hoping someone will show them on a map of the galaxy soon. Twenty-six light years is awfully close.