Astronomers stare at the three stars trying deciding which one the planet goes with. It might just go with all of them. But that’s not supposed to happen, is it?
Many theories go out the window as this puzzling predicament might even challenge Dr. Hans Zarkov because the planet is bigger than Jupiter yet is 20 times closer to its star than earth is to the sun and is apparently attached to two other stars in this peculiar triple star system.
The system, known as HD 188753 is about 149 light years away in the Cygnus constellation. If you floor it, you can be there in 100 light years and astronomers say the sunset would be awesome to make out under as there would 3 suns.
But the problem Zarkov would have is explaining the existence of this thing because based on the way most astronomers understand the formation of planets and other heavenly bodies, this isn’t supposed to happen.
Astronomers theorize that planets like this generally begin a fair distance away from their primary star around a chunk of ice and builds up. Most don’t believe it could form that close to a star. “Hot Jupiters” could be close to a star but chances are they formed quite a distance away; at least that’s the theory.
A couple of theories seem to stick out right now. The first is from an German astronomer named Artie Hatzes. He thinks the planet formed where it is now but without the icy center and that the core might have formed with materials that could stand the heat.
Another scientist named Maciej Konacki at Caltech said this might be a failed star without enough matter to turn hydrogen into helium. He’s the scientist who discovered this three-starred circus.
No word on Dr. Zarkov’s theory yet.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
