A group of scientists has found indications of an exoplanet that could resemble the mythical TatooineLuke Skywalker’s native planet in the Galaxies War. This celestial body, located about 120 light years from the earth, would orbit around a couple of brown dwarfs, also known as failed stars. Although the planet has not yet been observed directly, its existence is deduced from strange variations in the movement of these two stars.
A unusual cosmic dance
Brown dwarfs were identified a few years ago and it is known that they eclipse mutually, which is already unusual. However, scientists noticed a change in the way these stars move, something that could be explained if a planet was gravitationally interacting with them. Even so, experts are cautious. The astrophysic Simon Albrechtof the University of Aarhuswho did not participate in the study, he said: “I would not bet my life that the planet still exists.”
This type of double systems that could house planets are more common than previously thought. Currently, more than a dozen exoplanets that revolve around two stars have been identified, as well as the fictional Tatooine. The fascinating thing is that science fiction anticipated it long before science: for decades, writers imagined worlds with two soles, without knowing that they could be closer to the reality of what they thought.
Studying these unconventional systems not only feeds our curiosity, but also helps us better understand the extreme conditions under which planets can form. As it stands out Thomas Baycroft, author of the study and member of the University of Birmingham, Investigating these celestial bodies could expand our notion of what is possible beyond our solar system.
