1 00:00:01,002 --> 00:00:04,370 Narrator: throughout the universe, there are star systems 2 00:00:04,372 --> 00:00:06,705 completely different from ours 3 00:00:06,707 --> 00:00:10,342 containing two stars instead of one, 4 00:00:10,344 --> 00:00:15,481 our sun is not so typical after all, 5 00:00:15,483 --> 00:00:19,585 even the most fantastic imaginations of science fiction writers 6 00:00:19,587 --> 00:00:23,522 don't even come close for what nature can produce, 7 00:00:23,524 --> 00:00:26,725 narrator: these are binary stars, 8 00:00:26,727 --> 00:00:29,228 and they create some of the deadliest 9 00:00:29,230 --> 00:00:32,197 places in the universe, 10 00:00:32,199 --> 00:00:35,434 any planet that is nearby will be cooked, 11 00:00:37,838 --> 00:00:40,773 Narrator:but some binaries can has an unexpected trick 12 00:00:40,775 --> 00:00:42,274 on the sleeve, 13 00:00:42,276 --> 00:00:47,079 one that transforms our search for alien worlds, 14 00:00:47,081 --> 00:00:49,648 when it comes to the occurrence of life on a planet, 15 00:00:49,650 --> 00:00:52,151 it could very well be that having two stars 16 00:00:52,153 --> 00:00:55,187 could be much better than having one, 17 00:00:55,189 --> 00:00:59,491 Narrator: imagine living in the light of two suns, 18 00:00:59,493 --> 00:01:01,126 are we losing? 19 00:01:01,128 --> 00:01:04,930 two stars be better than one? 20 00:01:04,932 --> 00:01:07,933 - subtitles by vitac - 00:02:30,949 "episode iv" when I was 7 years old, 44 00:02:30,951 --> 00:02:33,285 and I remember this scene by luke skywalker 45 00:02:33,287 --> 00:02:35,587 standing out the tatooine deserts, 46 00:02:35,589 --> 00:02:37,523 and there's a double sunset, 47 00:02:37,525 --> 00:02:40,626 the music swells and I can remind me of my 7 year old heart 48 00:02:40,628 --> 00:02:42,561 kind of jumping out of my chest, 49 00:02:42,563 --> 00:02:44,429 this is the moment when I realized that I wanted 50 00:02:44,431 --> 00:02:47,199 to be an astronomer, 51 00:02:47,201 --> 00:02:51,770 narrator: two stars be better than one? 52 00:02:51,772 --> 00:02:54,006 living on a planet that orbits a binary system 53 00:02:54,008 --> 00:02:55,541 could be really exciting, 54 00:02:55,543 --> 00:02:58,410 imagine seeing two stars in the sky every day, 55 00:02:58,412 --> 00:02:59,645 That's pretty cool, 56 00:02:59,647 --> 00:03:00,812 but you know what? 57 00:03:00,814 --> 00:03:03,715 sometimes it can get very exciting, 58 00:03:06,820 --> 00:03:08,921 Narrator:some binary systems 59 00:03:08,923 --> 00:03:11,790 are not places for sci-fi adventures, 60 00:03:11,792 --> 00:03:15,093 are horror stories, 61 00:03:15,095 --> 00:03:17,396 woman: in some cases, the interactions between 62 00:03:17,398 --> 00:03:18,630 Binary stars turn deadly, 63 00:03:18,632 --> 00:03:20,899 can the stars really call each other, 64 00:03:20,901 --> 00:03:23,001 binary stars are a kind of like brothers, 65 00:03:23,003 --> 00:03:25,437 they were born together and they grow together, 66 00:03:25,439 --> 00:03:29,474 but sometimes one of These brothers can be bad, 67 00:03:32,246 --> 00:03:36,682 narrator: This evil brother is a pulsar, 68 00:03:36,684 --> 00:03:41,186 begins billions of lives from years ago 69 00:03:41,188 --> 00:03:45,490 like big brother in a binary, 70 00:03:45,492 --> 00:03:50,562 but something changes is a monster, 71 00:03:50,564 --> 00:03:52,764 man: when a big star dies, will end your life 72 00:03:52,766 --> 00:03:56,001 like a supernova with a big crazy explosion, 73 00:03:56,003 --> 00:03:59,571 and a pulse is what's left behind, 74 00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:01,607 Narrator: big brother's brother death triggers 75 00:04:01,609 --> 00:04:04,643 one of the biggest explosions in the universe, 76 00:04:04,645 --> 00:04:10,382 ♪♪ 77 00:04:10,384 --> 00:04:16,021 in the middle of the explosion, the star's core collapses, 78 00:04:16,023 --> 00:04:21,026 crushing material down in a hyperdense ball, 79 00:04:21,028 --> 00:04:23,862 fast and intense rotation Magnetic fields 80 00:04:23,864 --> 00:04:27,866 skip the double beams of deadly radiation, 81 00:04:27,868 --> 00:04:30,168 and the pulse comes to life, 82 00:04:32,172 --> 00:04:35,407 the pulsar must be one of the the most incredible monsters 83 00:04:35,409 --> 00:04:37,943 that the universe ever thought, 84 00:04:37,945 --> 00:04:40,212 they are just about 10 miles across, 85 00:04:40,214 --> 00:04:43,048 and yet they contain the mass of at least the sun 86 00:04:43,050 --> 00:04:45,183 or even sometimes twice the sun, 87 00:04:45,185 --> 00:04:47,452 ♪♪ 88 00:04:47,454 --> 00:04:49,054 Narrator: pulsar's brother 89 00:04:49,056 --> 00:04:51,023 is lucky live the chaos 90 00:04:51,025 --> 00:04:54,326 of the nearby supernova, 91 00:04:54,328 --> 00:04:57,362 but now it orbits a brother from hell 92 00:04:57,364 --> 00:05:01,633 in the land of a man without cosmos, 93 00:05:01,635 --> 00:05:03,802 orbiting a pulsar would be a very difficult experience 94 00:05:03,804 --> 00:05:05,971 for any object in your neighborhood, 95 00:05:05,973 --> 00:05:08,140 pulsars are spitting huge quantities 96 00:05:08,142 --> 00:05:10,442 of lethal radiation from its poles, 97 00:05:12,780 --> 00:05:15,781 man: wouldn't it be good to live in a planetary system 98 00:05:15,783 --> 00:05:18,383 close to a pulsar because you will be singled out 99 00:05:18,385 --> 00:05:23,088 towards a laser of planetary death, 100 00:05:23,090 --> 00:05:27,326 Narrator: But these death rays It can't last forever, 101 00:05:27,328 --> 00:05:29,061 within a few million years, 102 00:05:29,063 --> 00:05:31,863 the pulse spins die, 103 00:05:33,834 --> 00:05:35,801 with his evil brother dead, 104 00:05:35,803 --> 00:05:39,338 the other star finally live in peace? 105 00:05:41,975 --> 00:05:46,712 stars, as I tell students, are very similar to people, 106 00:05:46,714 --> 00:05:51,016 As they get older, they tend to expand a little, 107 00:05:51,018 --> 00:05:55,554 For a single star, it can expand and be as big as you want, 108 00:05:55,556 --> 00:05:58,490 but in a binary, there is a problem, 109 00:05:58,492 --> 00:06:00,726 Now, that's where the story It's really interesting, 110 00:06:00,728 --> 00:06:02,861 see, you have your companion swollen star 111 00:06:02,863 --> 00:06:04,596 in a red giant, 112 00:06:04,598 --> 00:06:07,666 some of that giant red stuff can now be incorporated 113 00:06:07,668 --> 00:06:09,101 back to the pulse 114 00:06:09,103 --> 00:06:12,437 and turn it into something called a millisecond pulsar, 115 00:06:15,008 --> 00:06:17,242 Narrator: the swollen red giant 116 00:06:17,244 --> 00:06:19,878 can't take it its outer layers, 117 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,915 and the pulsar begins to feed itself, 118 00:06:23,917 --> 00:06:25,851 subject, 119 00:06:25,853 --> 00:06:28,120 impulse transfer in the pulse, 120 00:06:28,122 --> 00:06:32,057 spinning it faster and faster 121 00:06:32,059 --> 00:06:36,128 until it turns hundreds once per second, 122 00:06:36,130 --> 00:06:38,296 the beams are reset, 123 00:06:38,298 --> 00:06:41,933 our pulse is back from the dead once again, 124 00:06:44,071 --> 00:06:47,105 they are dying and rising again Again and again and again again, 125 00:06:47,107 --> 00:06:50,142 It's like a zombie you just can't kill, 126 00:06:52,246 --> 00:06:55,881 Narrator: the red giant stretches the life of your zombie brother 127 00:06:55,883 --> 00:06:57,883 billions of years longer, 128 00:06:57,885 --> 00:07:01,720 ♪♪ 129 00:07:01,722 --> 00:07:05,157 we know hundreds of millisecond pulsars 130 00:07:05,159 --> 00:07:08,460 scattered throughout the cosmos, 131 00:07:08,462 --> 00:07:10,328 a terrible thought, 132 00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:14,366 ♪♪ 133 00:07:14,368 --> 00:07:16,835 but it gets even scarier, 134 00:07:16,837 --> 00:07:19,204 some of them are alone, 135 00:07:19,206 --> 00:07:21,373 what happened for your brother? 136 00:07:23,510 --> 00:07:25,677 binary stars are ultimately responsible 137 00:07:25,679 --> 00:07:28,146 for existence of millisecond pulsars, 138 00:07:28,148 --> 00:07:30,515 they only exist because they sucked the life 139 00:07:30,517 --> 00:07:32,517 outside their companion stars, 140 00:07:35,289 --> 00:07:37,823 millisecond pulsars that we see that they are all alone 141 00:07:37,825 --> 00:07:39,825 may have just arrived get rid of the body, 142 00:07:41,962 --> 00:07:47,098 narrator: this is psr j1311-3430, 143 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:51,403 a rare breed of millisecond pulsar known as a black widow, 144 00:07:51,405 --> 00:07:54,539 ♪♪ 145 00:07:54,541 --> 00:07:59,644 like its namesake spider, it's deadly 146 00:07:59,646 --> 00:08:02,414 one of the most massive fast spinning pulsars 147 00:08:02,416 --> 00:08:05,517 in the universe, 148 00:08:05,519 --> 00:08:09,554 spit 100 times more radiation than a regular one, 149 00:08:11,325 --> 00:08:13,992 a pulsar black yard is right on the edge of physics, 150 00:08:13,994 --> 00:08:16,027 any larger and it would be a black hole, 151 00:08:16,029 --> 00:08:18,897 intense radiation it's incredible, 152 00:08:18,899 --> 00:08:21,867 It's hard to understand that these things exist, 153 00:08:21,869 --> 00:08:24,169 but generally, the rule is the following with the universe 154 00:08:24,171 --> 00:08:25,670 which is big and old, 155 00:08:25,672 --> 00:08:29,474 if it can happen, this happens, 156 00:08:29,476 --> 00:08:33,345 Narrator: black widow pulsar It's the stuff of nightmares, 157 00:08:33,347 --> 00:08:36,081 its radiation heats up the companion star 158 00:08:36,083 --> 00:08:39,885 about 21,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 159 00:08:39,887 --> 00:08:43,822 more than twice as hot like the surface of our sun, 160 00:08:43,824 --> 00:08:48,660 ♪♪ 161 00:08:48,662 --> 00:08:52,063 is nothing less than stellar annihilation, 162 00:08:53,867 --> 00:08:57,936 The pulsars are already dramatic, energetic events, 163 00:08:57,938 --> 00:09:01,506 now you're adding, "Hello, let's destroy a star", 164 00:09:01,508 --> 00:09:04,376 black widow spiders famously eat their companions, 165 00:09:04,378 --> 00:09:07,512 and that's exactly it a black lintel that pulsates, 166 00:09:07,514 --> 00:09:09,981 he actually uses the material of its companion star 167 00:09:09,983 --> 00:09:11,516 to rotate upward, 168 00:09:11,518 --> 00:09:14,085 and then he obliterates completely, 169 00:09:14,087 --> 00:09:17,923 narrator: the companion star disappears, 170 00:09:17,925 --> 00:09:22,727 murdered by It's the zombie brother, 171 00:09:22,729 --> 00:09:24,796 is the best cosmic ingratitude, 172 00:09:24,798 --> 00:09:26,464 here you have a companion star 173 00:09:26,466 --> 00:09:29,935 That brought the pulse back to life after we died twice, 174 00:09:29,937 --> 00:09:32,804 and now your entire body is eviscerated 175 00:09:32,806 --> 00:09:34,506 by pulsar radiation 176 00:09:34,508 --> 00:09:37,776 without a piece of dust to suggest that it has been there, 177 00:09:40,113 --> 00:09:41,780 these black widow pulsars 178 00:09:41,782 --> 00:09:44,416 are like killers of the galaxy, 179 00:09:44,418 --> 00:09:46,718 not only them destroy the star, 180 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,355 they get rid of the evidence, 181 00:09:50,357 --> 00:09:52,390 narrator: when pulsars are involved, 182 00:09:52,392 --> 00:09:55,460 two stars are much worse than one, 183 00:09:55,462 --> 00:09:59,030 ♪♪ 184 00:09:59,032 --> 00:10:02,500 but it could be the other way around also be true? 185 00:10:02,502 --> 00:10:08,573 two stars can create an oasis to habitable foreign worlds? 186 00:10:12,813 --> 00:10:21,786 ♪♪ but it could be the other way around also be true? 187 00:10:21,788 --> 00:10:25,423 Narrator:Binary Stars Offer an exciting possibility,,, 188 00:10:28,362 --> 00:10:32,664 alien exoplanets in orbit two stars instead of one, 189 00:10:35,202 --> 00:10:38,370 these binary stars are everywhere, 190 00:10:38,372 --> 00:10:41,373 then the universe could actually it's something like 191 00:10:41,375 --> 00:10:45,143 what we see in science fiction films, 192 00:10:45,145 --> 00:10:48,046 the tatooine sky could be a real thing, 193 00:10:48,048 --> 00:10:51,182 there could be a planet with life and civilization, 194 00:10:51,184 --> 00:10:55,420 and in the sky, there could be two suns, 195 00:10:55,422 --> 00:11:00,158 Narrator: what would it be like to live in these worlds? 196 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,528 two stars be even better for life? 197 00:11:05,499 --> 00:11:08,867 our home planet orbits lonely sun 198 00:11:08,869 --> 00:11:13,538 in a safe region where life could evolve, 199 00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:15,907 today we are familiar with a very stable 200 00:11:15,909 --> 00:11:18,309 well-behaved star - our own sun, 201 00:11:18,311 --> 00:11:20,145 and of course we know There is some solar climate, 202 00:11:20,147 --> 00:11:22,213 sometimes he throws it away high energy particles 203 00:11:22,215 --> 00:11:24,249 who create the north and southern lights, 204 00:11:24,251 --> 00:11:26,584 but he is a very trustworthy star, 205 00:11:26,586 --> 00:11:28,653 It wasn't always like this, 206 00:11:28,655 --> 00:11:31,122 when the sun was much younger, was more active, 207 00:11:31,124 --> 00:11:33,124 it was more violent, 208 00:11:33,126 --> 00:11:36,995 ♪♪ 209 00:11:36,997 --> 00:11:40,799 Narrator: our young sun turned more than 10 times faster 210 00:11:40,801 --> 00:11:43,001 than today, 211 00:11:43,003 --> 00:11:46,237 causing its magnetic field to twist and tangle, 212 00:11:46,239 --> 00:11:49,307 sending enormous solar spasms, 213 00:11:52,012 --> 00:11:53,511 man: solar flares can be very bad for 214 00:11:53,513 --> 00:11:54,746 the habitability of a planet, 215 00:11:54,748 --> 00:11:56,815 especially if you are very close to the star, 216 00:11:56,817 --> 00:11:58,450 and the reason because solar flares 217 00:11:58,452 --> 00:12:00,6118 essentially represent high energy radiation, 218 00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:02,520 for example, high energy protons, 219 00:12:02,522 --> 00:12:04,723 they crush themselves in the atmosphere and they can withdraw 220 00:12:04,725 --> 00:12:08,293 Gas out of the atmosphere, 221 00:12:08,295 --> 00:12:12,330 Narrator: imagine the beginning solar system -- 222 00:12:12,332 --> 00:12:14,299 flares and solar storms 223 00:12:14,301 --> 00:12:18,636 attack the atmosphere of rocky planets, 224 00:12:18,638 --> 00:12:23,708 particles charged with mortality can tear They are molecule by molecule, 225 00:12:26,179 --> 00:12:30,381 without an atmosphere, liquid water cannot survive, 226 00:12:30,383 --> 00:12:33,952 and no liquid water means no life, 227 00:12:36,289 --> 00:12:40,258 In the early stages, our The solar system was a horrible place, 228 00:12:40,260 --> 00:12:43,128 the sun was young and highly irregular 229 00:12:43,130 --> 00:12:47,432 and emits a lot of energy in our region, 230 00:12:47,434 --> 00:12:50,468 It took a long time, probably about 500 million years 231 00:12:50,470 --> 00:12:52,070 before the solar system 232 00:12:52,072 --> 00:12:54,839 calmed down enough to imagine 233 00:12:54,841 --> 00:13:00,011 that something like life could evolve here on Earth, 234 00:13:00,013 --> 00:13:02,180 narrator: This is a galaxy-wide problem 235 00:13:02,182 --> 00:13:04,649 for orbiting planets a star, 236 00:13:06,686 --> 00:13:10,989 take proxima centauri, the closest star to our sun, 237 00:13:10,991 --> 00:13:12,690 is a red dwarf, 238 00:13:12,692 --> 00:13:15,927 the most common type of star in the milky way, 239 00:13:18,331 --> 00:13:24,469 and even has its own planet named proxima b, 240 00:13:24,471 --> 00:13:28,840 but not the next centauri treated his planet gently, 241 00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:34,345 next b has liquid water, 242 00:13:34,347 --> 00:13:36,981 would have to be very lucky, 243 00:13:39,886 --> 00:13:41,820 woman:proxima centauri would have caused 244 00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:43,555 enormous amounts of energy leave, 245 00:13:43,557 --> 00:13:45,256 and it would be effectively takes away 246 00:13:45,258 --> 00:13:49,227 close b of any type of atmosphere or surface water 247 00:13:49,229 --> 00:13:53,164 thus removing any chance of a habitable world, 248 00:13:53,166 --> 00:13:55,200 the only hope we have left next b 249 00:13:55,202 --> 00:13:57,602 is a strong magnetic field, 250 00:13:57,604 --> 00:14:00,271 that would and protect the planet 251 00:14:00,273 --> 00:14:03,074 of the onslaught of violent energy 252 00:14:03,076 --> 00:14:04,776 that comes out from proxima centauri, 253 00:14:04,778 --> 00:14:06,711 and in this way, it could still be an ocean, 254 00:14:06,713 --> 00:14:08,780 could be an atmosphere rich in oxygen, 255 00:14:08,782 --> 00:14:10,682 and maybe habitable environment, 256 00:14:10,684 --> 00:14:12,884 somewhere where life could have started, 257 00:14:12,886 --> 00:14:16,020 but now for the next b, The odds are stacked against that, 258 00:14:16,022 --> 00:14:21,459 ♪♪ 259 00:14:21,461 --> 00:14:23,294 narrator: Earth's strong magnetic field 260 00:14:23,296 --> 00:14:26,531 protect us from the sun worst explosions, 261 00:14:26,533 --> 00:14:28,900 allowing liquid water to survive, 262 00:14:31,638 --> 00:14:34,038 but other planets, like Mars and Mercury, 263 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,641 I wasn't very lucky, 264 00:14:36,643 --> 00:14:40,178 solar storms exploded their new atmospheres,,, 265 00:14:42,449 --> 00:14:45,617 until they are thin and weak, 266 00:14:45,619 --> 00:14:48,453 erasing any chances for life, 267 00:14:48,455 --> 00:14:53,491 ♪♪ 268 00:14:53,493 --> 00:14:57,862 but could binary systems really makes things easier, 269 00:14:57,864 --> 00:15:04,035 where the planets orbit two stars instead of one? 270 00:15:04,037 --> 00:15:07,472 man:young stars can be very violent and chaotic, 271 00:15:07,474 --> 00:15:09,707 but in the system where there are two stars, 272 00:15:09,709 --> 00:15:13,444 the interaction of these stars can reduce their rotation speed 273 00:15:13,446 --> 00:15:16,714 and that means that Violence can be mitigated, 274 00:15:16,716 --> 00:15:19,083 man: these solar storms can be seasoned 275 00:15:19,085 --> 00:15:21,753 so they are not so violent, they are not that frequent, 276 00:15:21,755 --> 00:15:25,957 What if some young planet is formed with an atmosphere, 277 00:15:25,959 --> 00:15:27,959 can keep it, 278 00:15:27,961 --> 00:15:31,296 man: so when it comes to the occurrence of life on a planet, 279 00:15:31,298 --> 00:15:33,798 it could very well be that having two stars 280 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,335 could be much better than having one, 281 00:15:37,337 --> 00:15:39,938 narrator: gravitational interactions 282 00:15:39,940 --> 00:15:43,374 can slow down of two narrow sun-like stars, 283 00:15:43,376 --> 00:15:48,146 giving life the chance develop, 284 00:15:48,148 --> 00:15:50,815 but not just in one world - 285 00:15:50,817 --> 00:15:55,753 on many planets throughout the system, 286 00:15:55,755 --> 00:15:57,722 with two stars in the middle of a solar system, 287 00:15:57,724 --> 00:15:59,190 you have it twice the amount of heat, 288 00:15:59,192 --> 00:16:00,591 twice the amount of light, 289 00:16:00,593 --> 00:16:02,193 and it extends the habitable zone 290 00:16:02,195 --> 00:16:04,295 further in the solar system, 291 00:16:07,434 --> 00:16:10,268 narrator:to planetarium scientist jani radebaugh, 292 00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:14,405 exploring systems like this It would be a dream come true, 293 00:16:14,407 --> 00:16:17,875 ♪♪ 294 00:16:17,877 --> 00:16:21,145 For me, it's so exciting that worlds like this could exist 295 00:16:21,147 --> 00:16:23,481 and that they can even shelter life, 296 00:16:23,483 --> 00:16:26,184 I mean, there could be a science fiction desert planet like this 297 00:16:26,186 --> 00:16:28,186 with twin soils 298 00:16:28,188 --> 00:16:30,421 my personal favorite is one 299 00:16:30,423 --> 00:16:32,490 that I can't wait to visit, or if we wanted, 300 00:16:32,492 --> 00:16:35,360 we could just get over to another habitable planet 301 00:16:35,362 --> 00:16:37,495 and find something completely different, 302 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:42,433 Narrator: Galactic Hitchhikers could explore 303 00:16:42,435 --> 00:16:45,169 a variety of science fiction landscapes, 304 00:16:45,171 --> 00:16:49,007 ♪♪ 305 00:16:49,009 --> 00:16:53,144 maybe alien civilizations are already out there, 306 00:16:53,146 --> 00:16:56,381 living in these habitable worlds, 307 00:16:56,383 --> 00:17:00,118 ♪♪ 308 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,589 two suns could create better star systems than one, 309 00:17:04,591 --> 00:17:07,625 but they could also make things chaotic, 310 00:17:07,627 --> 00:17:12,530 shooting entire worlds in space at high speed, 311 00:17:17,237 --> 00:17:26,144 ♪♪ but they could also make things chaotic, 312 00:17:26,146 --> 00:17:28,913 narrator: what life would be like 313 00:17:28,915 --> 00:17:31,315 on a planet in a binary system? 314 00:17:31,317 --> 00:17:34,419 Could it be better? 315 00:17:34,421 --> 00:17:40,091 or planet earth really The best it can be? 316 00:17:40,093 --> 00:17:42,427 man:if you are looking for one home for life in the galaxy, 317 00:17:42,429 --> 00:17:45,196 we tend to, you know, look for a quite a cozy existence out there, 318 00:17:45,198 --> 00:17:47,331 but, you know, it's possible these stars can take you 319 00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:49,067 on a wild ride sometimes, 320 00:17:49,069 --> 00:17:52,236 ♪♪ 321 00:17:52,238 --> 00:17:53,638 narrator: in the last decade, 322 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,074 we observe mysterious objects 323 00:17:56,076 --> 00:17:58,709 crossing the galaxy, 324 00:17:58,711 --> 00:18:02,413 scientists call it hypervelocity stars, 325 00:18:02,415 --> 00:18:05,249 ♪♪ 326 00:18:05,251 --> 00:18:07,552 when we say hypervelocity stars, 327 00:18:07,554 --> 00:18:10,288 we are talking some hyper speeds, 328 00:18:10,290 --> 00:18:14,258 they have been observed moving upward to 620 miles per second, 329 00:18:14,260 --> 00:18:17,295 are you talking about something the size of a star, the sun 330 00:18:17,297 --> 00:18:20,498 a hidden tons of mass or something similar 331 00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:24,769 being thrown out of the way faster than a rifle bullet, 332 00:18:26,706 --> 00:18:28,973 narrator: these hypervelocity stars 333 00:18:28,975 --> 00:18:31,476 Start in a binary system, 334 00:18:31,478 --> 00:18:34,011 but something rip them apart - 335 00:18:34,013 --> 00:18:36,047 something big, 336 00:18:38,151 --> 00:18:40,351 in order to create a hypervelocity star, 337 00:18:40,353 --> 00:18:43,821 you need a very intense source of gravitational power, 338 00:18:43,823 --> 00:18:45,723 well, the most intense source we know 339 00:18:45,725 --> 00:18:47,992 It's the black hole at the center of the galaxy, 340 00:18:47,994 --> 00:18:55,199 ♪♪ 341 00:18:55,201 --> 00:18:58,669 Narrator:this black hole is Sagittarius a-star, 342 00:18:58,671 --> 00:19:03,174 ♪♪ 343 00:19:03,176 --> 00:19:05,343 is supermassive - 344 00:19:05,345 --> 00:19:10,214 four million times the mass of our sun, 345 00:19:10,216 --> 00:19:13,251 two stars stray a little too close, 346 00:19:13,253 --> 00:19:16,787 and the enormous gravity from the black hole pulls towards them, 347 00:19:18,758 --> 00:19:22,760 but the nearest star feels a much stronger pull, 348 00:19:22,762 --> 00:19:26,063 and this binary system is torn, 349 00:19:29,269 --> 00:19:31,702 it's a little like throwing the Olympic hammer, 350 00:19:31,704 --> 00:19:35,106 where the hammer is a star in the binary system 351 00:19:35,108 --> 00:19:38,176 and the olympian is the other star, 352 00:19:38,178 --> 00:19:39,443 with the cord connecting the hammer 353 00:19:39,445 --> 00:19:40,711 being the gravitational 354 00:19:40,713 --> 00:19:42,480 between the binary stars, 355 00:19:42,482 --> 00:19:45,216 if you cut this cable, the other star can fly 356 00:19:45,218 --> 00:19:47,752 at very, very high speed, 357 00:19:49,756 --> 00:19:51,422 narrator: once the cable is cut, 358 00:19:51,424 --> 00:19:53,791 the binary stars separate forever, 359 00:19:56,129 --> 00:19:58,462 one is arrested in gravitational grip 360 00:19:58,464 --> 00:20:01,866 of the black hole, 361 00:20:01,868 --> 00:20:04,802 the other is released outside the galaxy 362 00:20:04,804 --> 00:20:09,407 becoming a literal shooting star, 363 00:20:09,409 --> 00:20:14,478 but the star may not be alone, 364 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,915 if a planet is gravitationally linked to a star 365 00:20:17,917 --> 00:20:21,352 and this star is ejected of the system, 366 00:20:21,354 --> 00:20:23,187 if the conditions are right, 367 00:20:23,189 --> 00:20:26,324 This planet can take a turn with that star, 368 00:20:26,326 --> 00:20:28,993 where the star goes, The planet will, 369 00:20:28,995 --> 00:20:33,731 ♪♪ 370 00:20:33,733 --> 00:20:36,267 if you are on the planet around a hypervelocity star, 371 00:20:36,269 --> 00:20:39,170 You would be the envy of poets and scientists everywhere 372 00:20:39,172 --> 00:20:42,974 because you would have the most Amazing view imaginable, 373 00:20:42,976 --> 00:20:45,109 you would start with the same center of the galaxy 374 00:20:45,111 --> 00:20:48,546 You will have this beautiful view of the supermassive black hole, 375 00:20:48,548 --> 00:20:52,116 ♪♪ 376 00:20:52,118 --> 00:20:54,652 narrator: generation after generation 377 00:20:54,654 --> 00:20:56,487 on this hypervelocity planet 378 00:20:56,489 --> 00:21:00,224 would be treated with emotion new views of the galaxy, 379 00:21:00,226 --> 00:21:04,362 ♪♪ 380 00:21:04,364 --> 00:21:06,264 the moment you finish as you are ejected, 381 00:21:06,266 --> 00:21:09,734 you would see the entire Milky Way galaxy, 382 00:21:09,736 --> 00:21:13,771 everything, and it would retreat away from you 383 00:21:13,773 --> 00:21:17,742 how did you move to space to who knows where, 384 00:21:17,744 --> 00:21:22,046 ♪♪ 385 00:21:22,048 --> 00:21:25,316 Narrator: hypervelocity planets just go to show 386 00:21:25,318 --> 00:21:29,620 that the universe is a path stranger than fiction, 387 00:21:29,622 --> 00:21:32,757 man: when we learn more about stars and star systems, 388 00:21:32,759 --> 00:21:36,961 even the most fantastic imaginations of science fiction writers 389 00:21:36,963 --> 00:21:39,997 don't even come close for what nature can produce, 390 00:21:39,999 --> 00:21:43,401 ♪♪ 391 00:21:43,403 --> 00:21:46,404 Narrator:this hyperspeed star and planet 392 00:21:46,406 --> 00:21:48,806 Continue on the journey of a lifetime, 393 00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:51,542 and about the stranded companion star 394 00:21:51,544 --> 00:21:53,878 stuck in the center of the galaxy 395 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:58,149 next to a supermassive black hole? 396 00:21:58,151 --> 00:22:02,186 this could also have a planet orbiting, 397 00:22:02,188 --> 00:22:05,089 but it's a world living on borrowed time, 398 00:22:07,493 --> 00:22:10,828 if there is a planet in orbit the star that is left behind 399 00:22:10,830 --> 00:22:12,630 by the hypervelocity star, 400 00:22:12,632 --> 00:22:14,031 so the planet is now in orbit 401 00:22:14,033 --> 00:22:16,334 the star that is in orbit the black hole, 402 00:22:16,336 --> 00:22:19,470 this is not likely will last a long time, 403 00:22:19,472 --> 00:22:23,140 typically, the little guy - Pew! is fired, 404 00:22:23,142 --> 00:22:26,644 ♪♪ 405 00:22:26,646 --> 00:22:29,413 So it's perfectly possible that we have hyperspeed 406 00:22:29,415 --> 00:22:31,182 rogue planets, 407 00:22:31,184 --> 00:22:33,317 planets without a star 408 00:22:33,319 --> 00:22:34,685 who are shooting outside the galaxy 409 00:22:34,687 --> 00:22:38,322 also at high speed, 410 00:22:38,324 --> 00:22:40,925 Narrator: but it's not a trip would you like to take, 411 00:22:40,927 --> 00:22:45,463 ♪♪ 412 00:22:45,465 --> 00:22:48,032 because this world is destined to wander 413 00:22:48,034 --> 00:22:51,502 the emptiness of space forever and alone, 414 00:22:53,473 --> 00:22:54,605 man: the problem with the planet 415 00:22:54,607 --> 00:22:56,974 is that it is no longer linked to a star, 416 00:22:56,976 --> 00:23:00,244 then the outer surface would probably freeze, 417 00:23:02,348 --> 00:23:03,614 Narrator:binary stars 418 00:23:03,616 --> 00:23:07,818 can create strange environments for planets, 419 00:23:07,820 --> 00:23:12,456 you could get an exciting galaxy view 420 00:23:12,458 --> 00:23:15,459 or freeze on icy ground, 421 00:23:15,461 --> 00:23:23,801 ♪♪ 422 00:23:23,803 --> 00:23:28,072 but astronomers are discovering strange new systems 423 00:23:28,074 --> 00:23:31,409 where stars are not being torn apart, 424 00:23:31,411 --> 00:23:35,679 they are being driven together, 425 00:23:35,681 --> 00:23:41,018 creating a cosmic event arriving soon in our galaxy, 426 00:23:44,290 --> 00:23:52,329 they are being driven together, 427 00:23:52,331 --> 00:23:55,065 narrator: Are two stars better than one? 428 00:23:55,067 --> 00:23:57,435 ♪♪ 429 00:23:57,437 --> 00:24:01,906 binary systems are certainly very dramatic, 430 00:24:01,908 --> 00:24:05,476 there is even one that has two stars so close, 431 00:24:05,478 --> 00:24:09,046 they are playing, 432 00:24:09,048 --> 00:24:14,251 kic 9832227 is a interesting binary system, 433 00:24:14,253 --> 00:24:16,587 that's what we call a binary of contacts, 434 00:24:16,589 --> 00:24:20,458 so that means the two stars are basically in contact, 435 00:24:20,460 --> 00:24:21,959 but they are separate stars, 436 00:24:21,961 --> 00:24:25,896 they share a common atmosphere or envelope, 437 00:24:25,898 --> 00:24:27,731 is a third of the mass of the sun, 438 00:24:27,733 --> 00:24:30,334 one about 1.4 times the mass of the sun, 439 00:24:30,336 --> 00:24:34,705 and they're spinning around sometimes every 11 hours, 440 00:24:34,707 --> 00:24:38,409 narrator:2017 - calvin college scientists 441 00:24:38,411 --> 00:24:42,213 reveal an exciting discovery, 442 00:24:42,215 --> 00:24:47,785 these binary stars are getting even closer, 443 00:24:47,787 --> 00:24:51,188 they do the math and make a bold prediction, 444 00:24:53,759 --> 00:24:57,228 So, this star is different from all other contact binary stars 445 00:24:57,230 --> 00:24:59,930 we study because this, we believe, 446 00:24:59,932 --> 00:25:03,033 in the next five years will merge, 447 00:25:03,035 --> 00:25:05,970 Spiral together and explode, 448 00:25:08,808 --> 00:25:11,408 but it's a star close enough for us - 449 00:25:11,410 --> 00:25:13,811 just 1,800 light years away - 450 00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:15,946 that when it explodes, would be bright enough 451 00:25:15,948 --> 00:25:18,215 to see with the naked eye, 452 00:25:18,217 --> 00:25:21,151 narrator: two stars falling together - 453 00:25:21,153 --> 00:25:25,289 an event known as red nova, 454 00:25:25,291 --> 00:25:27,024 man: if that's true, if you really see it, 455 00:25:27,026 --> 00:25:28,526 it would be fabulous, 456 00:25:28,528 --> 00:25:30,394 why not only that would be worth 457 00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:31,996 this incredible prediction, 458 00:25:31,998 --> 00:25:34,532 but we have something new to Look up at the night sky, 459 00:25:34,534 --> 00:25:38,102 if this happens, that would just be 460 00:25:38,104 --> 00:25:40,337 the event of my life, 461 00:25:43,009 --> 00:25:46,510 man: we can't predict many things in astronomy 462 00:25:46,512 --> 00:25:47,745 except, you know 463 00:25:47,747 --> 00:25:50,180 "Within a billion years, It will happen", 464 00:25:50,182 --> 00:25:54,251 so you have to appreciate What is this, 465 00:25:54,253 --> 00:25:57,955 These stars are probably billions of years, 466 00:25:57,957 --> 00:26:01,559 We are so lucky to be able to see it in the end 467 00:26:01,561 --> 00:26:03,727 where we only have a few years left - 468 00:26:03,729 --> 00:26:07,164 a few years out of a lifespan of billions of years, 469 00:26:07,166 --> 00:26:10,968 ♪♪ 470 00:26:10,970 --> 00:26:14,204 narrator: it's incredible cosmic coincidence 471 00:26:14,206 --> 00:26:17,841 Brought to you by the number of three, 472 00:26:17,843 --> 00:26:21,111 before these stars came into close contact, 473 00:26:21,113 --> 00:26:23,347 they may have had a neighbor - 474 00:26:23,349 --> 00:26:29,186 a third distant star We set this all in motion, 475 00:26:29,188 --> 00:26:30,621 whenever you have three objects, 476 00:26:30,623 --> 00:26:34,058 gravitational dynamics becomes incredibly complicated, 477 00:26:35,728 --> 00:26:38,562 the third star pulls in binary 478 00:26:38,564 --> 00:26:40,364 as the two orbit each other, 479 00:26:40,366 --> 00:26:44,802 stretching them out, basically, in an elongated orbit, 480 00:26:44,804 --> 00:26:46,604 the two stars resist this, 481 00:26:46,606 --> 00:26:49,607 trying to send circulars its orbit again, 482 00:26:49,609 --> 00:26:52,276 that and back interaction 483 00:26:52,278 --> 00:26:54,645 push the third star further away, 484 00:26:54,647 --> 00:26:58,315 pulls the two stars closer, 485 00:26:58,317 --> 00:27:01,218 narrator: the stars have been pushed together, 486 00:27:01,220 --> 00:27:04,755 but your story is about to make it even weirder, 487 00:27:07,827 --> 00:27:10,427 matter will broadcast off the smallest star 488 00:27:10,429 --> 00:27:14,598 until it's very gravitationally Weak to hold your position,,, 489 00:27:16,769 --> 00:27:19,837 directing their orbits even tighter together, 490 00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:22,506 move them faster and faster, 491 00:27:24,677 --> 00:27:29,513 Finally, the smallest star will dive into the greatest, 492 00:27:29,515 --> 00:27:33,283 tearing it up,,, 493 00:27:33,285 --> 00:27:36,854 and blow up hundreds of trillions of tons of debris 494 00:27:36,856 --> 00:27:39,723 in all directions, 495 00:27:39,725 --> 00:27:41,992 man: that would be huge amount of energy, 496 00:27:41,994 --> 00:27:44,228 explosion at its peak will be 10,000 times 497 00:27:44,230 --> 00:27:48,365 brighter than the star is today, 498 00:27:48,367 --> 00:27:53,070 narrator:this collision will also be an act of creation, 499 00:27:53,072 --> 00:27:58,876 the cores of the two stars will collide and become one, 500 00:27:58,878 --> 00:28:02,513 creating a super hot blue gas ball, 501 00:28:02,515 --> 00:28:06,517 a newborn star, 502 00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:08,452 just think how cool is that, 503 00:28:08,454 --> 00:28:11,722 in the constellation of Cygnus, in time about five years, 504 00:28:11,724 --> 00:28:16,026 a new star will call created from two older stars - 505 00:28:16,028 --> 00:28:19,430 an entirely new way of seeing a star rising, 506 00:28:22,535 --> 00:28:23,901 narrator:around the star, 507 00:28:23,903 --> 00:28:26,837 searing hot gas- will expand abroad, 508 00:28:26,839 --> 00:28:31,141 turning red as it cools, becoming the new red, 509 00:28:31,143 --> 00:28:37,047 ♪♪ 510 00:28:37,049 --> 00:28:40,417 the explosion will create a whole new light 511 00:28:40,419 --> 00:28:44,088 as bright as the north star in our night sky, 512 00:28:46,392 --> 00:28:49,326 man: it's just phenomenal that we have this opportunity, 513 00:28:49,328 --> 00:28:52,863 This is what every astronomer wants to do, 514 00:28:54,900 --> 00:28:56,600 narrator: we are at a safe distance 515 00:28:56,602 --> 00:28:58,936 From this colliding star duo, 516 00:29:00,906 --> 00:29:04,808 but we feel the same way if we were on a planet 517 00:29:04,810 --> 00:29:07,511 orbiting this binary system, 518 00:29:07,513 --> 00:29:10,481 this is a lot, very energetic event, 519 00:29:10,483 --> 00:29:13,917 life could survive an event like this? 520 00:29:13,919 --> 00:29:16,920 I wouldn't want to be there such as the guinea pig test, 521 00:29:20,559 --> 00:29:22,559 all this energy is coming, 522 00:29:22,561 --> 00:29:26,096 and its atmosphere is likely to be torn off, 523 00:29:26,098 --> 00:29:28,365 if there are oceans in this world, 524 00:29:28,367 --> 00:29:30,501 they are likely to be vaporized, 525 00:29:30,503 --> 00:29:34,538 and there may be very little left rock exception, 526 00:29:34,540 --> 00:29:36,807 a new one there's nothing you want to play with, 527 00:29:36,809 --> 00:29:39,676 any planet that is nearby it will be cooked, 528 00:29:39,678 --> 00:29:43,580 that there will be sand, and then, you know, it's not, 529 00:29:43,582 --> 00:29:45,449 if this is the kind of place you want to be, 530 00:29:45,451 --> 00:29:48,485 hey, more power to you, but I like land, 531 00:29:52,591 --> 00:29:55,259 narrator:earth has something good going these days 532 00:29:55,261 --> 00:29:57,561 with our only star, 533 00:29:57,563 --> 00:30:03,834 no collisions, There are explosions, no drama, 534 00:30:03,836 --> 00:30:06,403 for two stars to be better than one, 535 00:30:06,405 --> 00:30:10,107 we need to find rocky planets in a binary system, 536 00:30:12,878 --> 00:30:17,548 but so far we haven't, raising the question - 537 00:30:17,550 --> 00:30:20,818 Can they really exist? 538 00:30:25,224 --> 00:30:34,031 ♪♪ but so far we haven't, raising the question - 539 00:30:34,033 --> 00:30:36,600 narrator: the Kepler space telescope 540 00:30:36,602 --> 00:30:39,870 the search for aliens has been blowing open worlds, 541 00:30:39,872 --> 00:30:42,906 discovering thousands of exoplanets 542 00:30:42,908 --> 00:30:45,142 orbiting individual stars, 543 00:30:45,144 --> 00:30:48,912 ♪♪ 544 00:30:48,914 --> 00:30:52,216 but find rocky planets in binary systems 545 00:30:52,218 --> 00:30:54,151 It's proving difficult, 546 00:30:54,153 --> 00:30:57,621 ♪♪ 547 00:30:57,623 --> 00:31:00,457 we found planets orbiting binary star systems, 548 00:31:00,459 --> 00:31:02,826 and that's a huge leap forward in our understanding 549 00:31:02,828 --> 00:31:04,361 of how the universe works, 550 00:31:04,363 --> 00:31:07,664 Unfortunately, those planets have all the gas giants been, 551 00:31:07,666 --> 00:31:11,635 and they are not really good for life formation, 552 00:31:11,637 --> 00:31:13,937 narrator: by alien civilizations 553 00:31:13,939 --> 00:31:15,572 of existing around two suns, 554 00:31:15,574 --> 00:31:17,674 they need solid ground, 555 00:31:17,676 --> 00:31:21,311 the hunt for the world of our sci-fi dreams 556 00:31:21,313 --> 00:31:24,548 has so far been fruitless, 557 00:31:24,550 --> 00:31:27,618 we always have to consider that rocky planets might 558 00:31:27,620 --> 00:31:29,219 around binary stars 559 00:31:29,221 --> 00:31:32,422 they just don't exist for some reason that I currently don't know, 560 00:31:32,424 --> 00:31:37,160 and that would mean there would be no tatooine, 561 00:31:37,162 --> 00:31:40,130 narrator:could paired stars make impossible 562 00:31:40,132 --> 00:31:42,232 for a rocky planet to form, 563 00:31:45,004 --> 00:31:47,771 If you are a planet trying form around a binary system, 564 00:31:47,773 --> 00:31:50,374 the gravity in the middle It's always changing, 565 00:31:50,376 --> 00:31:52,476 instead of a single star, you have two stars 566 00:31:52,478 --> 00:31:56,079 orbiting each other, 567 00:31:56,081 --> 00:31:59,049 narrator: these two child stars 568 00:31:59,051 --> 00:32:02,452 start a gravitational tug of war, 569 00:32:02,454 --> 00:32:06,523 the material between them is pulled in different directions, 570 00:32:06,525 --> 00:32:10,827 making it harder for bits of rock and dust to stick together, 571 00:32:10,829 --> 00:32:17,200 the system seems very chaotic for rocky planets to form, 572 00:32:17,202 --> 00:32:20,037 man: the complex gravitational interactions 573 00:32:20,039 --> 00:32:23,840 at stake destabilize a bunch of potential orbits, 574 00:32:23,842 --> 00:32:27,511 there aren't a lot of opportunities for a young planet 575 00:32:27,513 --> 00:32:31,715 who might want to form to find a stable, long-term home 576 00:32:31,717 --> 00:32:35,285 that has lasted for billions of years around this binary system, 577 00:32:35,287 --> 00:32:39,790 It is relatively easy to obtain ejected or consumed 578 00:32:39,792 --> 00:32:41,992 by the stars themselves, 579 00:32:44,063 --> 00:32:46,763 narrator: so why can't you rocky planets survive 580 00:32:46,765 --> 00:32:49,566 when gas giants can? 581 00:32:49,568 --> 00:32:53,503 as any good realtor will tell you you, it's all about 582 00:32:53,505 --> 00:32:57,741 location, location, location, 583 00:32:57,743 --> 00:33:01,611 we think that rocky planets tend to form close around stars 584 00:33:01,613 --> 00:33:04,014 where it's nice and warm but promote to where it is coldest, 585 00:33:04,016 --> 00:33:06,149 you have the gas giant planets forming, 586 00:33:06,151 --> 00:33:08,118 So if you have a binary star system, 587 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,620 It's like a gravitational tornado serving 588 00:33:10,622 --> 00:33:12,356 all this rocky stuff 589 00:33:12,358 --> 00:33:14,491 so you're only left with the cold material, 590 00:33:14,493 --> 00:33:17,260 that can form gas giants further out, 591 00:33:17,262 --> 00:33:19,930 narrator: if a two-star system were a city, 592 00:33:19,932 --> 00:33:23,367 the gas giants are out in the suburbs, 593 00:33:23,369 --> 00:33:27,437 a pleasant, quiet location, far away gravity competing 594 00:33:27,439 --> 00:33:30,841 of the two stars, 595 00:33:30,843 --> 00:33:35,712 maybe one star systems are better than two, 596 00:33:35,714 --> 00:33:38,315 gas giants are not big for life, 597 00:33:38,317 --> 00:33:44,354 and these are the planets we are on find in these binary systems, 598 00:33:44,356 --> 00:33:46,523 the reason we are here it could even be the fact 599 00:33:46,525 --> 00:33:48,558 that we have a star instead of two, 600 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,862 ♪♪ 601 00:33:51,864 --> 00:33:53,663 Narrator:but in 2017, 602 00:33:53,665 --> 00:33:57,501 a discovery about 2,000 light years 603 00:33:57,503 --> 00:34:00,704 gives us new hope, 604 00:34:00,706 --> 00:34:03,507 man:so, as we discover new things in the universe, 605 00:34:03,509 --> 00:34:05,909 that tend to give them catalog names, 606 00:34:05,911 --> 00:34:07,577 which can be very annoying 607 00:34:07,579 --> 00:34:10,147 and very difficult to follow, 608 00:34:10,149 --> 00:34:14,284 but SDSS 1557 It's worth remembering, 609 00:34:16,688 --> 00:34:19,489 Man: we saw a binary system which is a white dwarf - 610 00:34:19,491 --> 00:34:21,792 what is the core of a star like the sun 611 00:34:21,794 --> 00:34:23,326 after he got very old, 612 00:34:23,328 --> 00:34:26,797 stripped of its outer layers - which is orbited by a brown dwarf, 613 00:34:26,799 --> 00:34:28,198 an object that is kind of on the border 614 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,734 between a planet and a star, 615 00:34:30,736 --> 00:34:36,206 narrator: what is more exciting about the SDSS 1557 system 616 00:34:36,208 --> 00:34:40,610 is that we found rocky debris, 617 00:34:40,612 --> 00:34:42,212 we see the basic materials, 618 00:34:42,214 --> 00:34:45,649 the basic ingredients are there for the formation of planets, 619 00:34:45,651 --> 00:34:47,150 this is really a exciting discovery 620 00:34:47,152 --> 00:34:49,252 because we have seen the remains of asteroids 621 00:34:49,254 --> 00:34:52,722 and rocks orbiting above this ancient binary system, 622 00:34:52,724 --> 00:34:56,093 systems we think Could never have survived 623 00:34:56,095 --> 00:34:58,495 The rocky kind of things around him before, 624 00:35:00,566 --> 00:35:04,601 narrator:this binary system is billions of years old, 625 00:35:04,603 --> 00:35:06,570 and through all this time, 626 00:35:06,572 --> 00:35:11,274 the rocky material was not exterminated, 627 00:35:11,276 --> 00:35:13,510 he survived, 628 00:35:13,512 --> 00:35:18,181 this is a huge trampoline to find our rocky planet 629 00:35:18,183 --> 00:35:21,651 with two suns, 630 00:35:21,653 --> 00:35:23,987 the system provides evidence there is rocky material 631 00:35:23,989 --> 00:35:26,857 close around a binary star system, 632 00:35:26,859 --> 00:35:29,826 so it's a signpost that the planet rock formation 633 00:35:29,828 --> 00:35:33,196 can occur around binary star systems, 634 00:35:33,198 --> 00:35:37,534 the odds may be longer, but it's still possible, 635 00:35:37,536 --> 00:35:42,372 narrator: there could still be be a planet in this system? 636 00:35:42,374 --> 00:35:47,177 there may still be planetary objects around sds 1557, 637 00:35:47,179 --> 00:35:50,080 we just haven't seen them yet, but they might still be there, 638 00:35:50,082 --> 00:35:56,686 ♪♪ 639 00:35:56,688 --> 00:36:00,157 narrator: the search continues, 640 00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:04,794 a rocky planet that orbits two stars could really exist, 641 00:36:06,832 --> 00:36:09,432 So for those of us waiting so that tatooine outside, 642 00:36:09,434 --> 00:36:11,601 that the planet with the double sunset, 643 00:36:11,603 --> 00:36:13,937 these debris fields really give us hope, 644 00:36:13,939 --> 00:36:16,973 perhaps the conditions, at least, are suitable for training 645 00:36:16,975 --> 00:36:20,143 of rocky planets around binary stars, 646 00:36:20,145 --> 00:36:21,511 I think it's out there, 647 00:36:21,513 --> 00:36:24,581 I think finding is more a matter of when than if, 648 00:36:24,583 --> 00:36:28,318 as an astronomer, that is a fantastic time to be alive 649 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,953 at the apex of discovery, 650 00:36:29,955 --> 00:36:33,557 As a science fiction fan, this It's a fantastic time to be alive 651 00:36:33,559 --> 00:36:36,293 because the material I read like a child is coming true, 652 00:36:36,295 --> 00:36:38,895 ♪♪ 653 00:36:38,897 --> 00:36:42,599 Narrator: but maybe the greatest sci-fi fantasy 654 00:36:42,601 --> 00:36:45,835 It's much closer to home, 655 00:36:45,837 --> 00:36:50,473 because the new research is suggesting something impressive - 656 00:36:50,475 --> 00:36:54,411 our Sun could have a twin brother, 657 00:36:58,951 --> 00:37:07,958 ♪ because the new research is suggesting something impressive - 658 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:12,162 narrator:a new study in 2017 calls into question 659 00:37:12,164 --> 00:37:14,598 our understanding of the sun, 660 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,668 ♪♪ 661 00:37:18,670 --> 00:37:21,171 for the first time now, astronomers are able to peer 662 00:37:21,173 --> 00:37:23,907 inside the clouds that form stars, 663 00:37:23,909 --> 00:37:26,810 And the most incredible thing is that the evidence suggests 664 00:37:26,812 --> 00:37:30,847 that every star similar to the Sun forms as part of a binary pair, 665 00:37:32,684 --> 00:37:37,187 narrator:study scientists the perseus molecular cloud, 666 00:37:37,189 --> 00:37:41,091 a stellar nursery around 750 light years from us, 667 00:37:41,093 --> 00:37:44,027 full of stars Just like our sun, 668 00:37:46,732 --> 00:37:49,833 many of them are in great binary systems, 669 00:37:49,835 --> 00:37:52,602 traveling in large orbits around you 670 00:37:52,604 --> 00:37:57,040 that centuries of calibration or more, 671 00:37:57,042 --> 00:38:00,510 and all these binaries they are babies, 672 00:38:00,512 --> 00:38:04,848 less than 500,000 years old, 673 00:38:04,850 --> 00:38:08,118 the only way to explain these young systems 674 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:13,990 is that they formed it this way - Not alone, but in a pair, 675 00:38:13,992 --> 00:38:18,028 ♪♪ 676 00:38:18,030 --> 00:38:20,830 Woman: just based on statistics and our understanding 677 00:38:20,832 --> 00:38:23,433 of what's going on inside these star forming clouds, 678 00:38:23,435 --> 00:38:26,469 it is highly likely that the sun formed with a twin brother, 679 00:38:26,471 --> 00:38:29,105 ♪♪ 680 00:38:29,107 --> 00:38:32,309 narrator: perhaps 4.5 billion years ago, 681 00:38:32,311 --> 00:38:35,478 our sun explode into life with a brother, 682 00:38:37,716 --> 00:38:40,183 Could this twin still be out there 683 00:38:40,185 --> 00:38:43,553 in a distant orbit that we didn't see? 684 00:38:45,824 --> 00:38:49,192 man: there was no idea that the sun could have a companion, 685 00:38:49,194 --> 00:38:51,061 who was called enemy, 686 00:38:51,063 --> 00:38:53,963 and this thing would have orbited way far out, 687 00:38:53,965 --> 00:38:57,901 Neptune way past in the solar system, 688 00:38:57,903 --> 00:39:01,638 Narrator: scientists sought for this nemesis star, 689 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:05,075 but returned empty-handed, 690 00:39:05,077 --> 00:39:08,411 we looked - we had telescopic surveys of the sky, 691 00:39:08,413 --> 00:39:11,514 including infrared surveys where these types of objects 692 00:39:11,516 --> 00:39:13,283 it would be very bright, 693 00:39:13,285 --> 00:39:17,153 and we've swept all the sky several times 694 00:39:17,155 --> 00:39:19,222 and we saw nothing, 695 00:39:19,224 --> 00:39:23,026 ♪♪ 696 00:39:23,028 --> 00:39:28,264 narrator:what happened to our sun brother is a mystery, 697 00:39:28,266 --> 00:39:32,202 How are we going to end up with a star as opposed to binary? 698 00:39:32,204 --> 00:39:35,338 we really don't I understand very well, 699 00:39:35,340 --> 00:39:37,273 narrator: if we don't orbit now, 700 00:39:37,275 --> 00:39:41,711 he may have left our system for a long time, 701 00:39:41,713 --> 00:39:43,947 over time, some of the these binary stars 702 00:39:43,949 --> 00:39:46,149 stay together closer and stay together, 703 00:39:46,151 --> 00:39:49,219 and others get torn and lose the other entirely, 704 00:39:49,221 --> 00:39:52,922 It is very possible that our sun, at some point, 705 00:39:52,924 --> 00:39:56,960 he had a twin brother who was ejected, 706 00:39:56,962 --> 00:39:59,095 Woman: we don't know exactly when 707 00:39:59,097 --> 00:40:00,897 our sister star has been uprooted, 708 00:40:00,899 --> 00:40:03,166 could be clear about each other Galaxy side 709 00:40:03,168 --> 00:40:06,436 from us until now, 710 00:40:06,438 --> 00:40:10,440 Narrator: but after all that we saw in binary systems, 711 00:40:10,442 --> 00:40:13,109 which can be very better without her, 712 00:40:15,147 --> 00:40:16,980 I'm very happy with having only one sun, 713 00:40:16,982 --> 00:40:21,117 so I'm fine living in this solar system, 714 00:40:21,119 --> 00:40:23,887 a binary sunset would be More beautiful, 715 00:40:23,889 --> 00:40:27,557 but just prettier if you were alive, 716 00:40:27,559 --> 00:40:29,793 Narrator:and the stars are still binary 717 00:40:29,795 --> 00:40:32,896 not just bring death and destruction, 718 00:40:32,898 --> 00:40:35,265 they could also create systems 719 00:40:35,267 --> 00:40:39,803 with a series worlds of habitable, 720 00:40:39,805 --> 00:40:42,305 There's a lot we don't know about our own environment 721 00:40:42,307 --> 00:40:44,941 and how it compares to other places in the universe, 722 00:40:44,943 --> 00:40:47,076 it seems like we are in a very lucky place, 723 00:40:47,078 --> 00:40:49,846 the sun is very stable, is a single star, 724 00:40:49,848 --> 00:40:51,714 we are in a good orbit around it, 725 00:40:51,716 --> 00:40:54,317 but maybe there are places outside there they are even better, 726 00:40:54,319 --> 00:40:56,152 We just didn't even know how to ask, 727 00:40:58,356 --> 00:41:00,890 narrator: It's certainly possible 728 00:41:00,892 --> 00:41:04,127 that two stars are better for life than one, 729 00:41:04,129 --> 00:41:07,964 but until we find these alien worlds, 730 00:41:07,966 --> 00:41:11,034 it remains an open question, 731 00:41:13,572 --> 00:41:16,005 It's hard to say if we are lucky or unlucky 732 00:41:16,007 --> 00:41:18,041 be on a planet orbiting a single star, 733 00:41:18,043 --> 00:41:20,276 It's probably a little boring here 734 00:41:20,278 --> 00:41:22,645 compared to the appears as 735 00:41:22,647 --> 00:41:24,848 in these binary star systems, 736 00:41:27,519 --> 00:41:30,420 you know, from a romantic, visual perspective, 737 00:41:30,422 --> 00:41:34,390 I kinda wish we did it live in a binary star system, 738 00:41:34,392 --> 00:41:37,660 can you imagine someone living on a circum-binary planet 739 00:41:37,662 --> 00:41:40,930 and find a planet similar to Earth orbiting a lonely star, 740 00:41:40,932 --> 00:41:42,765 if they think, "oh, how interesting that would be, 741 00:41:42,767 --> 00:41:45,435 can you imagine have a sunset? 742 00:41:45,437 --> 00:41:46,636 What does that look like?" 743 00:41:46,638 --> 00:41:48,738 I can imagine them wondering 744 00:41:48,740 --> 00:41:50,974 the questions we ask ourselves, 745 00:41:50,976 --> 00:41:53,276 so it's just a question perspective, you know? 746 00:41:53,278 --> 00:41:56,246 grass is always greener than other side of the binary system, 747 00:41:56,248 --> 00:42:00,550 ♪♪