EARTHSKY - People are fascinated by the idea of a planet orbiting more than one star, like Tatooine in “Star Wars” or Trisolaris in “The Three-Body Problem.” On September 29, 2026, researchers at the University of California, Riverside, said they have modeled a nearby binary star system and found that it could potentially support an Earth-sized planet in a habitable-zone orbit.
The researchers used 70 Ophiuchi as their model. This two-star system lies about 16 light-years away. Both of the stars in the 70 Ophiuchi system are a bit smaller and cooler than our sun. And while we’ve yet to find a planet orbiting either star, the UC Riverside astronomers said they’ve found that one could feasibly exist in a stable orbit around one of the two stars. And it could lie within the habitable zone of one of the stars, where liquid water would be stable on its surface.