07-10-2015, 03:33 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-10-2015, 03:35 PM by stevebowers.)
The rule we use in OA is 'three times the separation'; this applies to circumbinary planets and to distant binaries, where the planets orbit one star of a pair.
http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/460d90f53fb24
This came originally from an essay by Isaac Asimov, I understand, although some observed planets in real binary systems orbit more closely than this limit.
Both rules apply in this system. Both pairs of stars are two or three million km apart, so the smallest orbit around each pair is about nine million km. Similarly the stars orbit about 21 billion km apart, so a planet could be 7 billion km from either pair without being disrupted. Even with a 50% margin of error that allows planets in the habitable zone around both pairs.
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The names TSSL has suggested have already been used in another quintuple star system in the Solar Dominion - Fons Luminis
http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4900d8c15efa3
based on Alula Australis, which is another (mildly contentious) quintuple star.
http://www.solstation.com/stars/alulaaus.htm
http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/460d90f53fb24
This came originally from an essay by Isaac Asimov, I understand, although some observed planets in real binary systems orbit more closely than this limit.
Both rules apply in this system. Both pairs of stars are two or three million km apart, so the smallest orbit around each pair is about nine million km. Similarly the stars orbit about 21 billion km apart, so a planet could be 7 billion km from either pair without being disrupted. Even with a 50% margin of error that allows planets in the habitable zone around both pairs.
-----------------
The names TSSL has suggested have already been used in another quintuple star system in the Solar Dominion - Fons Luminis
http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/4900d8c15efa3
based on Alula Australis, which is another (mildly contentious) quintuple star.
http://www.solstation.com/stars/alulaaus.htm