Author Matthew Standing discussed the previous belief that planets orbiting twin suns were considered absurd, but this perception has changed due to recent discoveries.
The existence of circumbinary planets was initially considered unlikely due to the disruptive influence of binary stars on the formation of planetary disks. However, the discovery of Kepler-16b in 2011 by the Kepler space telescope challenged this notion and demonstrated the possibility of planet formation in such systems. Building on this breakthrough, the recent discovery of BEBOP-1c further confirms the existence of planetary systems orbiting twin stars, highlighting the visionary nature of George Lucas when he introduced Tatooine in the original Star Wars film.
Science Has Proved Planets Like Tatooine Really Do Exist
Thanks to the discovery of a Tatooine-like planet, it appears that even the seemingly non-scientific aspects of Star Wars may not be entirely impossible. Rather than strictly non-scientific, it may be more fitting to view Star Wars as exploring what appears to be impossible. The franchise contains numerous moments that encourage its characters to not limit themselves to what they believe is possible, such as Yoda training Luke to understand that the Force makes anything possible. Additionally, the prequel trilogy introduced a scientific element to the Force through midi-chlorians, mirroring real-world studies that suggest scientific explanations for mystical concepts like chi. Lucas' foresight with Tatooine serves as just one example of this mindset in action.
What Would Life Be Like On A Circumbinary Planet Like Tatooine?
The study suggests that living on Tatooine would be challenging due to the unique characteristics of its binary star system and the high mass of the planet BEBOP-1c. The chaotic nature of such systems could imply that life on Tatooine would also be chaotic. However, further research is needed to understand the atmospheric chemistry of circumbinary planets and to determine the accuracy of George Lucas's depiction of Tatooine in Star Wars.
