Possible answer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klemperer_rosette
Not that I think the writers were thinking explicitly of such a configuration, but it might have influenced them.
Now, the question becomes, who put them there?
The Colonies where not in the same system. If you remember from the episode where they saw the night sky on Earth by using the Arrow the Colonies where in 12 Zodiac constilations. Thus each Colony is in its own solar system.
Hope that helps you out.
I think the 12 colonies were supposed to be in the same system for the original series (I seem to remember that as a youngun) but I think Sam is right about the new BSG.
Yea, I believe you are right, in the original BG the colonies shared a system of 12 planets that some how supported life on each.
Here is the real kicker I hope they explain. Rolsin says that the 12 constilations where used on the original flags. So Ok that is fine and all but something needs to be explained here. If the 13th Tribe left before or at the same time as the 12. How did they transmit the information to the 12 about the 12 constilations? And how did the 13th find a world that could look up and see all 12 in the sky? And why would the 12 use a constilation map on their worlds flags that meant nothing to the 12 since the night sky looks so different based on your personal point of reference? Just a few questions.
RDM said somewhere (miniseries commentary?) that he kept the 12 habitable planets in one system from the original series because it was so fundamental to the story, but he knew it was kind of a cop out.
In my head, I like the idea of some of the colonies being moons, which could explain a lot of the class issues that exist in the show.
Yes, in the original drafts they were areas on Kobol, but he decided to move them to a separate system (oddly, I don’t think it was specified in TOS if it was one system or not.)
In my head, I like the idea of some of the colonies being moons, which could explain a lot of the class issues that exist in the show.
Some were (Boomer was supposedly from one) but the big twelve were proper planets.
This is what I’ve figured too. We believe that some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn might be able to sustain life (even if it’s not human life). Why couldn’t the 12 colonies be on a couple of planets and their moons? Isn’t that how the 'verse works in Firefly?
I don’t loose much sleep over the whole constellation question. Seems to me that it would be a bit of a waste to spend any time on something like that when so many other bigger questions need to be answered.
Keep reading that Wikipedia article on Klemperer rosettes … it says they’re not stable. If the colonies had a technology able to keep planets in an orbit, they’d have little to fear from Cylon technology.
No, it’s saying odd-numbered ones (like the Puppeteers’ system) are unstable. A system of, say, twelve would work.
I think youre wrong on this one.
Oh but they were, and admittedly it makes little sense.
See this article
Where RDM says this…
Does it make sense that there would be a star system with 12 inhabitable planets? Not really, but that was in the original and at some point I decided to run with that as another nod to the old show
battlestarwiki.org helped me find this reference.
I guess that is the finale word. It doesn’t make any sense but if that is what RDM says then it is so. It is really stupid though. OH well I guess that is that.
I wouldn’t think there would ever be a need to develop FTL if all the colonies existed in the same system. While it may take 6 to 18 months to get to Mars at or current speeds from Earth. Going Lightspeed would get you there in like 12 minutes or so. FTL instantaneous. But we see them on much longer journeys in the Miniseries and also in Razor.
And also…even if they came with FTL there would be no need to have so many ships with FTL. I realize they left some behind that didnt have FTL in the mini. But there are still a lot of Civilian ships that have it. which should be unnecessary. Even the Military ships shouldn’t need them in a single system idea. It should be a tech that went by the way side.
Yeah, I see your point there. But I think if humans can create any kind of convenience they will use it. I imagine if you asked the writers they’d say that FTL ended up being more efficient to use than “impulse” engines (if you’ll allow the Trek reference).
But I never figured out why a ship like Colonial One was flying back to Caprica in the miniseries. The only thing I could figure out is that their FTL plotting wasn’t good at extremely close range (or something…)
Probably used more fuel? Wouldn’t want the appearance of government waste.
Since RDM wrote the story and he says this is the way it is, it doesn’t have to make since. I had never heard the ideal of a one system Colony of 12 planets but then again it is not our universe nor is it our story. If that is the way RDM wrote it, then it only has to make since to him. He already stated that the show has been nothing more than a, fly by the seat of, story all along. We as fans hope there is some great ideal behind the info spewed out at us but Like it has already been stated, the only logic came while sipping scotch and was made up of what ever the writers felt at the time they could get away with.
I guess i am starting to feel jaded now. There are 3 episodes left 2 if you only count the finale two hour show as one show. There are way to many unanswered question now to be given to us in the short time left. “You will know the truth” is a crock. The Opera House, and the great plan are not the only things that need to be answered. What about the head charactor’s, or Kara’s death and reserection, the whole Kara will lead them all to their end, what happened to the 12 colonys are they just dead, who nuked Earth, who set up the Eye of Jupitor temple, what really happened on Kobol, who wrote the Pythia Profecy and why, who is the one true God, why did the colonies have Zodiac symbols that could only be seen from Earth as their symbols, who set up the cave on Kobol, what will the Cheif do when he finds out Tori killed his wife? I could keep going on but the loose ends are making my head hurt. “You will know the truth” I am not buying it any longer. If the 12 Colonies are in one system then RDM really did a lazy job of trying to make things mesh. I have tried to put logic to the mess but now i wonder if i should even care.
12 colony planets in one system, how silly is that. Oh lets put logic to it and make it work. What a rip.
Colonel Klink was a physicist???
It IS stated in the Battlestar wiki that the 12 planets share one sun. 
In the episode when they went into Athena’s tomb, and saw the 12 zodiac constelations, I believe Laura quoted from Pythia that, “they looked to the stars and saw the symbols of their brothers…” or something like that.
As Far as FTL goes, you probably can’t “jump” in a solar system, but they had explored beyond their system. the Ragnar Anchorage was not in the system of the colonies. neither was Armistice Station. The Footprint of the 12 colonies was bigger then just the 12. IMHO