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Alpha Centauri has a binary system with another third sun orbiting the other two at half a light-year or so. Not very "sun-like".
by peroporque 6y ago
Alpha Centauri has a binary system with another third sun orbiting the other two at half a light-year or so. Not very "sun-like".
- throw1234651234 6y agoHowever, it has planets thought to be in the Goldi-locks zone around one of the stars. Seems like if they can get that kind of resolution at 300ly, they should be able to do infinitely better at 4. Just a thought, I am sure I am missing something.
- Johnjonjoan 6y agoAnother commenter said: "The two gas giants orbit their host star at distances of 160 and about 320 times the Earth-Sun distance." Just a guess but perhaps being in the Goldilocks zone the planets are harder to discern from Alpha Centauri. I figure the technology that blocks the star light may mean this isn't the case though.
- infogulch 6y agoA comment upthread mentions that one of the biggest obstacles to detecting planets is the huge contrast between the planet and its host star: detecting 10-14 orders of magnitude difference between the luminosity of a star and orbiting planet cannot be made simpler by adding in 2 additional stars.