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Tatooine's Double-Sunset a Common Sight

Posted by Zonk on from the double-shadows-means-twice-as-scary dept.

anthemaniac writes "Thirty years ago, Luke Skywalker beheld something that scientists are just now realizing is likely quite common in the universe: double sunsets. Astronomers have long known that binary star systems are common. And models suggested that planets could form in these systems, even though there's a double-tug of gravity on the material that would have to form a planet. Observations from NASA's Spitzer telescope, show that binary systems are just as likely to be surrounded by planet-forming debris disks are are lone stars."

4 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Great by eviloverlordx · · Score: 4, Funny

    More places for hives of scum and villainy!

    --
    'Loose' is when your pants are three sizes too big. 'Lose' is when you misuse 'loose'.
  2. It wasn't thirty years ago... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thirty years ago, Luke Skywalker beheld something that scientists are just now realizing is likely quite common in the universe: double sunsets.


    Luke didn't see the sunset thirty years ago - he saw it "A Long Long Time Ago (in a Galaxy Far Far Away)..."

    I can't believe I'm posting to a Star Wars item...feel like I need to take a shower now.
  3. Two is Better than One by AaxelB · · Score: 5, Funny

    Trilling and his team looked for disks in 69 binary systems between 50 and 200 light-years away from Earth. All the stars are more massive and younger than our middle-aged Sun.
    Better endowed and younger, eh? And you can have two at once? Maybe we'd better rethink our exclusive orbit with our Sun... After all, we just keep going in circles.
  4. Why do we have to drag Republicans into this? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 4, Funny

    hives of scum and villainy

    Why do we have to drag the White House into every science discussion we have on SlashDot?