3 ms·
Depends on the details of the system, but in general it is highly unlikely. Usually already a binary star system does not really have nice orbits, since a too c
by yk 11y ago
Depends on the details of the system, but in general it is highly unlikely. Usually already a binary star system does not really have nice orbits, since a too close encounter between a planet and a star basically acts like a fly-by-maneuver, so that it transfers energy to the planet and potentially kicks it out of the system.
A example for a triple star system would be Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri, the closest star system to the Solar System. Alpha Centauri is a double star and Proxima Centauri orbits it at a huge distance, such that the seperation between the components of Alpha Centauri is no longer important for the orbit.
So it is certainly possible to find stable orbits, even in a very unusual star system like this one. But they are ( except in very rare cases), just elliptical orbits at huge distances.