They belong to the Zeta Herculis Moving Group of co-moving stars that share a common origin.

[11] Subsequently, the two stars received separate designations in the Cape Photographic Durchmusterung, which was processed between 1859 and 1903, then in the Henry Draper Catalogue, published between 1918 and 1924.

However, this was challenged, after using the much more accurate parallaxes from the Hipparcos catalogue (ESA, 1997), it was calculated that the stars actually have higher luminosities and so are shifted upwards, putting them in the main sequence.

[20] ζ2 is more sedate, showing a much lower level of activity[21] with a ~7.9-year cycle, which may indicate it is in a Maunder Minimum state.

This radiation was attributed to emission by a debris disk with a mean temperature of 150 K (−123 °C), theorized to be orbiting the host star at a distance of 4.3 AU.

[24] In 2010, the Herschel Space Observatory, a telescope with a comparatively superior spatial resolution and, unlike Spitzer, able to resolve radiation excesses beyond the wavelength of 70 μm, determined the infrared excess as coming from a two-lobed structure that looked like a debris disk seen edge-on.

In these observations, no significant flux has been detected around ζ2, showing that the alleged debris disk is not real, but rather a case of background confusion.

Based on the map, a fan of the book named Marjorie Fish speculated that the aliens might originate from Zeta Reticuli.

Live, alleged government informant "Falcon" (Richard Doty) spread tales of Majestic 12, a hidden cabal that has made a secret treaty with gray aliens from Zeta Reticuli who operate out of Area 51.

Alleged Area 51 worker Bob Lazar similarly spread tales of aliens from Zeta Reticuli.