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Astronomy

The Formation of Planetary Systems Around Binary Stars

Quick fact

The first confirmed circumbinary planet, Kepler-16b, orbits two stars that eclipse each other from our viewpoint, and its discovery showed that planets can indeed form around binary stars, defying earlier expectations.

Why this is interesting

Most stars in the universe are not alone—they have a stellar companion. Yet we are only just beginning to learn how planets survive the chaotic gravitational tango of binary star systems.