Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have observed that planetary systems dusty disks of asteroids, comets and possibly planets are at least as abundant in twin-star systems as they are in those, like our own, with only one star. Since more than half of all stars are twins, or binaries, the finding suggests that the universe is packed with planets that have two suns.
Sunsets on some of those worlds might even resemble the kind seen on fictional SW planet Tatooine.
“There appears to be no bias against having planetary system formation in binary systems,” said UA’s David Trilling, lead author of a new paper about the research appearing in the April 1 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. “There could be countless planets out there with two or more suns.”
It’s unfortunate that this paper is appearing April 1, as it’s presumably no joke, although whether or not there are aliens out there to watch these twin sunsets is an altogether different matter.
Adapted from a UA press release.
Someone with a better grip on planetary stuff will correct me but as far as I know a binary star system with planets would not be stable.