Scientists announced on Wednesday that they have discovered a new planet resembling Star Wars' Tatooine located beyond our solar system, potentially circling two failed stars.
The exoplanet located 120 light years from us follows an uncommon orbit around a pair of brown dwarfs, which are also referred to as failed stars.
A recent study published in the journal Science Advances revealed that the movement of brown dwarfs is altering, suggesting it’s unlikely they orbit one another.
'I wouldn’t risk my life on the planet existing just yet’
Years back, scientists were the first to spot this pair of brown dwarfs. They observed that these celestial siblings pass in front of one another periodically. However, the actual planet has not been visually confirmed as of now. Further investigation is necessary to determine its mass and orbital path.
“I wouldn’t stake my life on the fact that this planet actually exists,” stated Simon Albrecht, an astrophysicist from Aarhus University who was not involved in the recent research.
Researchers have identified more than ten planets that circle two stars, similar to the imagined 'Star Wars' world Tatooine—a blazing sandy sphere with twin sunsets where Luke Skywalker originates from.
Exploring these peculiar cosmic objects could provide insights into how circumstances outside our solar system might result in planets significantly distinct from our own, according to study author Thomas Baycroft from the University of Birmingham.
Planets orbiting binary stars "were part of science fiction for many years before we realized they could actually exist in real life," he stated.