A team of astronomers claims to have discovered a 17th exoplanet that orbits two suns, similar to the fictional planet of Tatooine from Star Wars. The newly found world is the most unusual yet, with its star system displaying a “polar orbit” pattern, where one sun circles another while their companion orbits in an unpredictable loop.
The discovery was made using observations from the Very Large Telescope in Chile, which revealed that the two suns – brown dwarfs 2M1510 A and B – don’t move exactly as expected. The researchers calculated that the most likely explanation for this movement is a third companion, which they believe to be a planet.
If confirmed, this exoplanet would have two suns in its sky, with the brown dwarfs appearing identical in color and potentially creating complex solar dynamics. The team proposes further research to study this system in detail and similar systems that may harbor polar orbiting planets.
While some experts remain skeptical, others believe that the discovery marks a significant step forward in exoplanet hunting, offering new possibilities for exploring exotic planetary configurations and evolutionary histories.
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-04-17/star-wars-tatooine-like-exoplanet-strange-orbit-two-suns/105179506