Astronomers have made a significant discovery by identifying 27 potential circumbinary planets that may orbit two stars, similar to the fictional Tatooine from the Star Wars universe. This finding, published around May 4, expands our understanding of planetary systems beyond our solar system. Currently, only about 18 circumbinary planets have been confirmed, while over 6,000 planets are known to orbit single stars. The newly identified candidates are located at distances ranging from 650 to 18,000 light years from Earth.

The research, led by Associate Professor Ben Montet from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), utilized a method called apsidal precession, which studies the wobble in stars that orbit and eclipse each other. This approach allowed the researchers to identify 36 star systems out of 1,590 that could only be explained by the presence of a third body. However, further study is required to determine whether these objects are indeed planets, brown dwarfs, or stars. The potential planets range in size from Neptune-like to those up to ten times the mass of Jupiter.

Dr. Sara Webb from Swinburne University of Technology noted the effectiveness of the techniques used and the potential for discovering more planets in the future. She emphasized that a world like Tatooine could exist in a stable zone between two stars, where temperatures are moderate. This research has been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.