NASA: 'Star Wars'-Type Double Sunset Might Be Possible
The double sunset that Luke Skywalker gazed upon in the film "Star Wars" might not be a fantasy. Now playing at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/spitzer/spitzer20070329/ is a video comparing the double sunsets of the "Star Wars" planet, Tatooine, with recent findings by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The telescope found signs that planetary systems around double stars are at least as common as they are in single-star systems like ours. This suggests the universe could be packed with planets that have two suns. Sunsets on some of those worlds would resemble the ones on Tatooine. -- Ronn! :) ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: NASA: 'Star Wars'-Type Double Sunset Might Be Possible
Ronn! Blankenship wrote: > > This suggests the universe could be packed with planets that > have two suns. Sunsets on some of those worlds would resemble the > ones on Tatooine. > A _real double sunset_ would be a rare occasion, because even if planets around double stars are common (something that I read more than 30 years ago), aligning the two suns with the horizon would be uncommon for planets with orbits in the plane of the two suns orbits and a not-too-inclined rotation axis. Alberto Monteiro ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: NASA: 'Star Wars'-Type Double Sunset Might Be Possible
"Alberto Monteiro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ronn! Blankenship wrote: > > This suggests the universe could be packed with planets that > > have two suns. Sunsets on some of those worlds would resemble the > > ones on Tatooine. > > > A _real double sunset_ would be a rare occasion, because even > if planets around double stars are common (something that I > read more than 30 years ago), aligning the two suns with the > horizon would be uncommon for planets with orbits in the > plane of the two suns orbits and a not-too-inclined rotation > axis. ยด Actually, the specific comparison with Tatooine raises a few more points. The sunset which was pictured in the movie owes it's appearance to the athmosphere. To form auch an athmosphere some requirements concerning the planet's climate have to be met. This is quite unlikely for planets in multi start systems. However, if someone gets the UFOs from the Roswell incidents going, one might send a team of Industrial Light & Magic to such a planet. They'll can do it. Heck, they managed to get the double sunset even on earth! Best regards, Klaus _ This mail sent using V-webmail - http://www.v-webmail.orgg ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
