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dworth · 12-20-2010, 05:41 AM

"For example, I believe we will eventually find systems with binary stars"

The majority of star systems are in fact binary systems. Alpha Centauri is the nearest example. (okay actually it's a widely seperated trinary system as Proxima orbits the common centre of gravity at about 900 A.U).

Whether planets are able to form in such systems is open to debate, though it's thought possible that a closely orbiting binary could possibly have planets in wide orbits. Closer in, the complex interacting forces of multiple stars would make formation more difficult, and increase the likelihood that any planets that did form would either plunge into one star or another, or be flung out of the system altogether.

Edit: Looks like planets can form in binaries, given the right circumstances:

http://www.deepfly.org/TheNeighborho...-Binaries.html

12-20-2010, 05:41 AM	#19
dworth Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 2094632 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bradford, UK Device: kindle pc	"For example, I believe we will eventually find systems with binary stars" The majority of star systems are in fact binary systems. Alpha Centauri is the nearest example. (okay actually it's a widely seperated trinary system as Proxima orbits the common centre of gravity at about 900 A.U). Whether planets are able to form in such systems is open to debate, though it's thought possible that a closely orbiting binary could possibly have planets in wide orbits. Closer in, the complex interacting forces of multiple stars would make formation more difficult, and increase the likelihood that any planets that did form would either plunge into one star or another, or be flung out of the system altogether. Edit: Looks like planets can form in binaries, given the right circumstances: http://www.deepfly.org/TheNeighborho...-Binaries.html Last edited by dworth; 12-20-2010 at 10:07 AM.