Tatooine-like planet outside the solar system may orbit twin stars

A new Tatooine-like planet outside the solar system may orbit two failed stars, scientists reported Wednesday.

A new Tatooine-like planet outside the solar system may orbit two failed stars, scientists reported Wednesday.

Located about 120 light years away, the exoplanet appears to take an unusual path around two brown dwarfs, whipping around at a right angle. Brown dwarfs are sometimes called failed stars because they’re lighter than stars, but heavier than gas giant planets. A light year is nearly 6 trillion miles.

The brown dwarf pair was first spotted years ago. Scientists noticed that the twins eclipse each other so one is always partly blocked when seen from Earth.

In a new analysis, researchers found that the brown dwarfs’ motion was changing — a quirk that’s less likely to happen if they circled each other on their own. The research was published in the journal Science Advances.

Scientists know of over a dozen planets that orbit two stars like the fictional “Star Wars” scorching desert planet Tatooine with double sunsets that Luke Skywalker calls home.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/tatooine-planet-solar-system-may-orbit-twin-stars-rcna201607

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