Well, whenever I mention something with Four Stars I automatically think of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball.
However, this bit of news came as a shock to me.
A planet with Four Suns was discovered by
PlanetHunters.org ; an amateur (albeit professional) group of astronomers. Labeled Planet PH1, a Neptune sized possible gas giant.
You can see in the rendition above. PH1 is the planet. Now, I'm not an astronomer by trade; but I understand enough about planetary orbit and astrophysics to know that this planet likely has an elongated elliptical orbit. PH1A, the Mother Star that everything else in the system orbits around, is orbited closely by the cooler, smaller PH1B.
Planet PH1 orbits around these two stars. On a wide outer orbit, PH1C, a star likely very similar to our own sun provides a tertiary source of radiant heat and light on any likely inner planets and moons.
While the last start PH1D, a small white dwarf orbits the Sun-like PH1C as a Starmoon.
Planet PH1 is likely pulled in a dynamic ellipse during is 137 day trip around it's main star, affected by the two largest stars, much like Earth is affected by larger massed planets like Saturn and Jupiter, but more likely such. However, it may not be anywhere near as dramatic as what I've created in the graphic above.
Well; there you go!
- Joe
