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Astronomers: Why doesn't our solar system have a second sun?

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Taverner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:43 PM
Original message
Astronomers: Why doesn't our solar system have a second sun?
I read somewhere that most have two suns...but ours does not - what gives?
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:45 PM
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1. Well, Jupiter is *almost* a sun.
Or so I've heard.
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Taverner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:46 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. Someone needs to light a match there then
Being as its made up of Hydrogen and Helium....

Light that sucker up so we can see at night!
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ForrestGump Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:45 PM
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2. It's me, actually
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Call Me Wesley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:50 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Sun, Forrest, sun!
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 04:51 PM
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5. Technically, there can only be one Sun, though.
"Sun" is our primary star's name.
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Ivan Sputnik Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 06:24 PM
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6. It may
Some scientists have theorized that a "brown dwarf" star may orbit the sun.

More info here:
http://www.viewzone.com/nemesis.html
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Bill McBlueState Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-16-05 07:27 PM
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7. stability?
For life to evolve on a planet, it has to have a stable orbit with the right amount of irradiation from the central star. In most binary or multiple configurations, there aren't any stable orbits close enough to the stars.

So a planet with "advanced" life could maybe only exist in orbit around a single star.
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