Potential conditions for extraterrestrial life in binary star systems
This article is one of a series on:
Life in the universe
Outline
Planetary habitability in the Solar System
Venus
Earth
Mars
Europa
Enceladus
Titan
Life outside the Solar System
Potentially habitable exoplanets
Galactic habitable zone
Habitability of...
Binary star systems
Natural satellites
Neutron star systems
Red dwarf systems
K-type main-sequence star systems
Yellow dwarf systems
F-type main-sequence star systems
v
t
e
Planets in binary star systems may be candidates for supporting extraterrestrial life.[1]Habitability of binary star systems is determined by many factors from a variety of sources.[2] Typical estimates often suggest that 50% or more of all star systems are binary systems. This may be partly due to sample bias, as massive and bright stars tend to be in binaries and these are most easily observed and catalogued; a more precise analysis has suggested that the more common fainter stars are usually singular, and that up to two thirds of all stellar systems are therefore solitary.[3]
The separation between stars in a binary may range from less than one astronomical unit (au, the "average" Earth-to-Sun distance) to several hundred au. In latter instances, the gravitational effects will be negligible on a planet orbiting an otherwise suitable star, and habitability potential will not be disrupted unless the orbit is highly eccentric (see Nemesis, for example). In reality, some orbital ranges are impossible for dynamical reasons (the planet would be expelled from its orbit relatively quickly, being either ejected from the system altogether or transferred to a more inner or outer orbital range), whilst other orbits present serious challenges for eventual biospheres because of likely extreme variations in surface temperature during different parts of the orbit. If the separation is significantly close to the planet's distance, a stable orbit may be impossible.
Planets that orbit just one star in a binary pair are said to have "S-type" orbits, whereas those that orbit around both stars have "P-type" or "circumbinary" orbits. It is estimated that 50–60% of binary stars are capable of supporting habitable terrestrial planets within stable orbital ranges.[4]
^"Earth-Sized 'Tatooine' Planets Could Be Habitable" (Press release). NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. April 2017. Archived from the original on 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2018-12-15.
^Eggl, S. (2018). "Habitability of Planets in Binary Star Systems". Handbook of Exoplanets. Springer. pp. 1–27. Bibcode:2018haex.bookE..61E. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-30648-3_61-1. ISBN 978-3-319-30648-3.
^"Most Milky Way Stars Are Single" (Press release). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. January 30, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
^Elisa V. Quintana; Jack J. Lissauer (2007). "Terrestrial Planet Formation in Binary Star Systems". Extreme Solar Systems. 398: 201. arXiv:0705.3444. Bibcode:2008ASPC..398..201Q.
and 26 Related for: Habitability of binary star systems information
Astrophysics in December 2017. Habitabilityof red dwarf systemsHabitabilityof K-type main-sequence starsystemsHabitabilityof natural satellites Dragon's...
theorized habitabilityof red dwarf systems is determined by a large number of factors. Modern evidence indicates that planets in red dwarf systems are unlikely...
Habitabilityof G V stars of G V stars systems defines the suitability for life of exoplanets belonging to yellow dwarf stars. These systems are the object...
Planetary habitability in the Solar System is the study that searches the possible existence of past or present extraterrestrial life in those celestial...
A binarystar or binarystarsystem is a systemof two stars that are gravitationally bound to and in orbit around each other. Binary stars in the night...
binarysystem have stable orbits around one of the two stars, closer in than the orbital distance of the other star (see Habitabilityofbinarystar systems)...
in the Solar System – liquid water in our Solar SystemHabitabilityofbinarystarsystems – liquid water on binary stars Habitabilityof F-type main-sequence...
as a special case of the latter, if the deadly probes are (e.g. due to resource scarcity) only sent to starsystems that show signs of intelligent life...
differentiate natural satellite habitability and additionally extend their habitability outside the planetary habitable zone. Liquid water is thought by...
This is a list of potentially habitable exoplanets. The list is mostly based on estimates ofhabitability by the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog (HEC), and...
Circumstellar habitable zone Extraterrestrial liquid water Planetary habitability Colonization of Europa Habitabilityof K-type main-sequence starsystems Habitability...
solar system are also known as exoplanets. As of 10 May 2024, there are 5,626 confirmed exoplanets in 4,183 planetary systems, with 949 systems having...
morphological features of galaxies can affect their potential for habitability. Spiral arms, for example, are the location ofstar formation, but they contain...
the world is found to harbor lifeforms capable of developing intelligence. Multiple planetary systems are planned to be implemented as the game's active...
and much below the temperatures generally associated with planetary habitability. Titan may become warmer in the future. Five to six billion years from...
brightness. The Solar System is also unlike many stellar systems in that it only contains one star (see Habitabilityofbinarystarsystems). Working from these...
case of the Berserker hypothesis, if the 'deadly Berserker probes' are (e.g. due to resource scarcity) only sent to starsystems that show signs of intelligent...
Stability of 20 Biogenic Amino Acids in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid: Implications for the Habitabilityof Venus’ Clouds, 2024, arXiv:2401.01441 Stability of Nucleic...
habitable zones vary according to the type ofstar, and even the solar activity of each specific star influences the local habitability. The type of star...
habitable planets is perhaps the most important open question in the entire field of planetary habitability given their prevalence (habitabilityof red...
secondary (i.e. less massive) starof the binarystarsystem. This type of disc will only form when a high enough level of angular momentum is present within...
Examples ofbinarysystems are Sirius, Procyon and Cygnus X-1, the last of which probably consists of a star and a black hole. A multiple starsystem consists...
with greater or lesser habitability potential. The two current ecological approaches for predicting the potential habitabilityof the Martian surface use...
principle Planetary habitability Rare Earth hypothesis Cirković MM, Vukotić B. (2008). Astrobiological phase transition: towards resolution of Fermi's paradox...