Planets in multi star systems

[vintersorg]

How does a planet orbit a multi star system? Do the stars together have a combined gravity or the planet orbits in irregular paths? Also, is there any good gif or movie that shows how those systems work? Not only those with planets, but for example, systems with 3 or more stars. Thank you very much.

 

[MeteorWayne]

There are two ways for a planet to orbit in a multistar system<br /><br />It can either orbit close to one of the stars, so that the other member (or members) are far enough away that they don't significantly affect the planet, or it can orbit far enough away from all the stars that it orbits around all of them, seeing them as more or less one single mass. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Good afternoon MeteorWayne,<br /><br />The Alpha Centauri system could achieve both types.<br /><br />Lets say stable orbits to approx 1.5 AU from either star for either star to have its OWN <br />planets (i.e Mars in our own system), but further out, planets would orbit both.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[brellis]

Welcome <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />We had a discussion thread on this topic a while back. Check that out, and<br />HERE is a site with animations that illustrate possible orbits in multiple star systems. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[weeman]

<font color="yellow"> or it can orbit far enough away from all the stars that it orbits around all of them, seeing them as more or less one single mass. </font><br /><br />So then I have a question:<br /><br />If the planet is far enough out to orbit both stars (assuming it's a binary system), would it orbit around the barycenter? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

That is correct.<br />Just as the earth orbits the barycenter of the Solar System.<br />Although, depending on how close it is, there may be perterbations caused by the individual stars. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[qso1]

http://www.solstation.com/orbits/ac-absys.htm <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>