PV Gap

Cory Said:

Three stars in one solar system... is this possible?

We Answered:

Not possible because only our system is "a solar system". We are in the ONLY solar system in the entire universe.


As for three stars in a STELLAR SYSTEM, of course it is possible. The nearest star system is a binary star system (Alpha Centauri) which has a third smaller star Proxima Centauri of questionable long term relationship with the two larger stars.

Or, three stars in a PLANETARY SYSTEM, even that is possible. You don't even need to make it fiction (like the Trisol system in Futurama), because it already exists.

The HD 188753 System is a three star system that has a planet (a hot Jupiter orbiting the larger mass of the three stars). The Gliese 777 System is a three star system that has two known planets.


The parts of your premise that would be fiction are:
1. calling a system a "solar system" not containing THE STAR named Sol
2. a planet being larger than a star, no matter how "dwarf" the star may be

Linda Said:

what are our neighbor objects out side the solar system like stars etc?

We Answered:

Closest objects of significance to the Solar System is the red dwarf star, Proxima Centauri which is 4.2 light years away. It is believed to be a part of the overall binary star system, Alpha Centauri which is comprised of Centauri A and B, also known as, Rigel Kentaurus. If you were in the Southern Hemisphere, Rigel Kentaurus would be the brightest star in the sky being that they are main sequence stars and are about 4.37 light years away. Proxima Centauri is also known as Centauri C.

Other than that, I believe the Epsilon Eridani System has the closest known extra-solar planet to the Solar System at around 10.32 light years. Gliese 581, a red dwarf about 20 light years away is believed to have the closest terrestrial (like Earth) candidate planet to the Solar System.

Glenn Said:

Could our solar system eventually become a binary star system?

We Answered:

Your phrase 'a failed binary system' best suits our solar system. Had Jupiter formed with about 80% more mass its core could have reached the 10-million degrees Kelvin needed for nuclear fusion to begin and our sun would have then had a twin. Even today, Jupiter radiates more heat energy than it absorbs due to the enormous density at its heart.

There's no chance that Jupiter could attain the additional mass needed for star birth...unless the aliens in Arthur C. Clarke's '2010' happen along :)

Micheal Said:

If the sun is a star why is it called a solar system and not a star system like on tv?

We Answered:

Our sun is called Sol, therefore if a star was called Gol for example it would be in the Golar system

Lloyd Said:

what is the study of the solar system,stars,andouter space called?

We Answered:

This category of question should be a dead give-away really. :)

Astronomy.

Astronomy: Our Place in Space
Astronomy is the study of the entire universe and everything in it. It's full of huge distances, gigantic sizes, and long periods of time. It's a big subject.

Lloyd Said:

Is there an equivalent term for 'Solar System' when referring to an arbitrary star and its satellites?

We Answered:

Planetary system. The Solar System is a planetary system associated with the Sun (Sol).

How about this one: if Procyon were to be found to have planets, it would be the Procyonic System. Some of the names could be romantic or poetic.

The generic name would be planetary system, the proper name would refer to the star.

Stephen Said:

I have some astronomy questions, about our solar system, and Planet Earth?

We Answered:

No, the orbital paths of the planets in our solar system will never collide, even though some orbits do intersect other orbits when projected onto a two dimensional plane. In three or 4 dimensions they do not intersect. Neptune and Pluto are in a 3:2 gravitational orbital resonance with each other. For every 3 orbits Neptune makes around the sun, Pluto makes 2 orbits, Haumea's or Makemake's orbits also intersect the orbits of other planets, but they probably haven't impacted anything recently because their orbits seem to be stable. Download Gravity Simulator and look at some of the simulations. The orbits of the planets are not as stable as you probably are assuming they are. Look at the solar system barycenter simulation.

http://www.orbitsimulator.com/gravity/ar…

http://www.orbitsimulator.com/gravity/ar…

http://www.orbitsimulator.com/gravity/ar…

There are no giant or super-giant stars in out solar system yet, but the sun will eventually become an
orange or red giant star.

The sun has approximately another 4.5 to 5 billion years left before it becomes a white dwarf with a planetary nebula.

That's what the Kepler telescope is supposed to find. Whether Earth sized planets are in the habitability zone of the triple point temperature of water as ice, liquid and vapor, well, right now only God/physics knows, but Kepler may find an Earth-sized planet around another star tomorrow.