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1
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Narrator: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE,
THERE ARE STELLAR SYSTEMS
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00:00:04,372 --> 00:00:06,705
COMPLETELY UNLIKE OUR OWN
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 ISN'T SO
TYPICAL AFTER ALL.
5
00:00:15,483 --> 00:00:19,585
EVEN THE MOST FANTASTICAL
IMAGININGS OF SCI-FI WRITERS,
6
00:00:19,587 --> 00:00:23,522
IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE
TO 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
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00:00:29,230 --> 00:00:32,197
PLACES IN THE UNIVERSE.
10
00:00:32,199 --> 00:00:35,434
ANY PLANET THAT'S CLOSE BY
IS GONNA GET COOKED.
11
00:00:37,838 --> 00:00:40,773
Narrator: BUT SOME BINARIES MAY
HAVE AN UNEXPECTED TRICK
12
00:00:40,775 --> 00:00:42,274
UP THEIR 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 MAY VERY WELL BE
THAT HAVING TWO STARS
16
00:00:52,153 --> 00:00:55,187
COULD BE A LOT BETTER
THAN HAVING ONE.
17
00:00:55,189 --> 00:00:59,491
Narrator: IMAGINE LIVING IN
THE LIGHT OF TWO SUNS.
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00:00:59,493 --> 00:01:01,126
ARE WE MISSING OUT?
19
00:01:01,128 --> 00:01:04,930
COULD TWO STARS
BE BETTER THAN ONE?
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00:01:04,932 --> 00:01:07,933
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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00:01:07,935 --> 00:01:10,936
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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00:01:10,938 --> 00:01:16,608
♪♪
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00:01:16,610 --> 00:01:22,281
♪♪
24
00:01:22,283 --> 00:01:23,949
Narrator: LOOK AT OUR SKY.
25
00:01:23,951 --> 00:01:28,454
YOU SEE THE SAME
SOLITARY SUN RISING
26
00:01:28,456 --> 00:01:31,223
AND SETTING DAY AFTER DAY.
27
00:01:31,225 --> 00:01:34,660
♪♪
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00:01:34,662 --> 00:01:38,130
BUT THROUGHOUT THE GALAXY,
ALIEN CIVILIZATIONS
29
00:01:38,132 --> 00:01:44,837
COULD BE ENJOYING TWIN
SUNRISES AND TWIN SUNSETS
30
00:01:44,839 --> 00:01:51,043
BECAUSE THEY ORBIT
TWO STARS INSTEAD OF ONE.
31
00:01:51,045 --> 00:01:54,379
HALF THE STAR SYSTEMS
IN OUR GALAXY ARE BINARY STARS.
32
00:01:54,381 --> 00:01:56,949
IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ROOT
33
00:01:56,951 --> 00:01:59,852
OF STELLAR FORMATION
AND EVOLUTION.
34
00:01:59,854 --> 00:02:02,955
SO, WE CAN'T JUST FOCUS
ON THE SINGLE-STAR SYSTEMS
35
00:02:02,957 --> 00:02:04,990
AND THINK WE HAVE
A COMPLETE PICTURE.
36
00:02:07,027 --> 00:02:09,895
Narrator: THE COMPLETE PICTURE
MAY INCLUDE PLANETS
37
00:02:09,897 --> 00:02:13,499
ORBITING BINARY STARS --
38
00:02:13,501 --> 00:02:17,236
ALIEN WORLDS ROOTED
IN SCI-FI FANTASIES
39
00:02:17,238 --> 00:02:21,773
THAT HAVE INSPIRED
SCIENTISTS FOR DECADES.
40
00:02:21,775 --> 00:02:24,309
Woman: IF THERE IS ONE SINGLE
EVENT THAT CAN MOST LINK
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TO WHY I BECAME A SCIENTIST,
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00:02:25,946 --> 00:02:28,147
IT WAS GOING TO SEE
THE ORIGINAL "STAR WARS" MOVIE,
43
00:02:28,149 --> 00:02:30,949
"EPISODE IV,"
WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD.
44
00:02:30,951 --> 00:02:33,285
AND I CAN REMEMBER THAT SCENE
OF LUKE SKYWALKER
45
00:02:33,287 --> 00:02:35,587
STANDING OUT ON
THE DESERTS OF TATOOINE,
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 UP, AND I
CAN REMEMBER MY 7-YEAR-OLD HEART
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00:02:40,628 --> 00:02:42,561
KIND OF LEAPING OUT OF MY CHEST.
49
00:02:42,563 --> 00:02:44,429
THAT'S THE MOMENT
WHEN I REALIZED 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: COULD TWO STARS
BE EVEN 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
TOO 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.
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00:03:11,792 --> 00:03:15,093
THEY'RE HORROR STORIES.
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00:03:15,095 --> 00:03:17,396
Woman: IN SOME CASES,
THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
62
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BINARY STARS GET DEADLY.
63
00:03:18,632 --> 00:03:20,899
THE STARS CAN ACTUALLY
TURN ON EACH OTHER.
64
00:03:20,901 --> 00:03:23,001
BINARY STARS ARE KIND OF
LIKE SIBLINGS.
65
00:03:23,003 --> 00:03:25,437
THEY'RE BORN TOGETHER
AND THEY GROW UP TOGETHER.
66
00:03:25,439 --> 00:03:29,474
BUT SOMETIMES ONE OF
THOSE SIBLINGS CAN BE EVIL.
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Narrator:
THIS EVIL SIBLING IS A PULSAR.
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IT STARTS LIFE BILLIONS
OF YEARS AGO
69
00:03:41,188 --> 00:03:45,490
AS THE BIG BROTHER IN A BINARY.
70
00:03:45,492 --> 00:03:50,562
BUT SOMETHING TRANSFORMS
IT INTO A MONSTER.
71
00:03:50,564 --> 00:03:52,764
Man: WHEN A LARGE STAR DIES,
IT WILL END ITS LIFE
72
00:03:52,766 --> 00:03:56,001
AS A SUPERNOVA
WITH A CRAZY BIG EXPLOSION.
73
00:03:56,003 --> 00:03:59,571
AND A PULSAR
IS WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND.
74
00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:01,607
Narrator: THIS BIG BROTHER'S
DEATH TRIGGERS
75
00:04:01,609 --> 00:04:04,643
ONE OF THE BIGGEST
BANGS IN THE UNIVERSE.
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♪♪
77
00:04:10,384 --> 00:04:16,021
IN THE MIDST OF THE EXPLOSION,
THE STAR'S CORE COLLAPSES,
78
00:04:16,023 --> 00:04:21,026
CRUSHING MATERIAL DOWN
INTO A HYPER-DENSE BALL.
79
00:04:21,028 --> 00:04:23,862
RAPID ROTATION AND INTENSE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
80
00:04:23,864 --> 00:04:27,866
JUMP START TWIN BEAMS
OF DEADLY RADIATION,
81
00:04:27,868 --> 00:04:30,168
AND THE PULSAR COMES TO LIFE.
82
00:04:32,172 --> 00:04:35,407
THE PULSAR HAS TO BE ONE OF
THE MOST AMAZING MONSTERS
83
00:04:35,409 --> 00:04:37,943
THAT THE UNIVERSE
HAS EVER THOUGHT OF.
84
00:04:37,945 --> 00:04:40,212
THEY'RE ONLY 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
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♪♪
88
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Narrator: THE PULSAR'S SIBLING
89
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IS LUCKY
TO LIVE THROUGH 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 IT NOW ORBITS
A BROTHER FROM HELL
92
00:04:57,364 --> 00:05:01,633
IN A COSMIC NO-MAN'S LAND.
93
00:05:01,635 --> 00:05:03,802
ORBITING A PULSAR WOULD BE
A PRETTY ROUGH EXPERIENCE
94
00:05:03,804 --> 00:05:05,971
FOR ANY OBJECT
IN ITS VICINITY.
95
00:05:05,973 --> 00:05:08,140
PULSARS ARE SPITTING OUT
TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS
96
00:05:08,142 --> 00:05:10,442
OF LETHAL RADIATION
FROM THEIR POLES.
97
00:05:12,780 --> 00:05:15,781
Man: IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD TO LIVE
ON A PLANETARY SYSTEM
98
00:05:15,783 --> 00:05:18,383
NEAR A PULSAR
BECAUSE YOU ARE GONNA BE POINTED
99
00:05:18,385 --> 00:05:23,088
TOWARD A LASER
OF PLANETARY DEATH.
100
00:05:23,090 --> 00:05:27,326
Narrator: BUT THESE DEATH RAYS
CAN'T LAST FOREVER.
101
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WITHIN A FEW MILLION YEARS,
102
00:05:29,063 --> 00:05:31,863
THE PULSAR SPINS ITSELF
TO DEATH.
103
00:05:33,834 --> 00:05:35,801
WITH ITS EVIL SIBLING DEAD,
104
00:05:35,803 --> 00:05:39,338
CAN THE OTHER STAR
FINALLY LIVE IN PEACE?
105
00:05:41,975 --> 00:05:46,712
STARS, AS I TELL STUDENTS,
ARE A LOT LIKE PEOPLE.
106
00:05:46,714 --> 00:05:51,016
AS THEY AGE, THEY TEND
TO EXPAND A BIT.
107
00:05:51,018 --> 00:05:55,554
FOR A SINGLE STAR, IT CAN EXPAND
AND BE AS BIG AS IT LIKES.
108
00:05:55,556 --> 00:05:58,490
BUT IN A BINARY,
THERE'S A PROBLEM.
109
00:05:58,492 --> 00:06:00,726
NOW, THIS IS WHERE THE STORY
GETS REALLY INTERESTING.
110
00:06:00,728 --> 00:06:02,861
SEE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR COMPANION
STAR THAT'S SWELLED UP
111
00:06:02,863 --> 00:06:04,596
INTO A RED GIANT.
112
00:06:04,598 --> 00:06:07,666
SOME OF THAT RED GIANT MATERIAL
NOW CAN GET INCORPORATED
113
00:06:07,668 --> 00:06:09,101
BACK INTO THE PULSAR
114
00:06:09,103 --> 00:06:12,437
AND SPIN IT UP INTO SOMETHING
CALLED A MILLISECOND PULSAR.
115
00:06:15,008 --> 00:06:17,242
Narrator: THE BLOATED RED GIANT
116
00:06:17,244 --> 00:06:19,878
CAN'T HOLD ON TO
ITS OUTER LAYERS,
117
00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,915
AND THE PULSAR BEGINS TO FEED.
118
00:06:23,917 --> 00:06:25,851
MATTER STREAMS INTO IT,
119
00:06:25,853 --> 00:06:28,120
TRANSFERRING MOMENTUM
INTO THE PULSAR,
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 ROTATES HUNDREDS
OF TIMES A SECOND.
122
00:06:36,130 --> 00:06:38,296
THE BEAMS RE-IGNITE.
123
00:06:38,298 --> 00:06:41,933
OUR PULSAR IS BACK
FROM THE DEAD ONCE MORE.
124
00:06:44,071 --> 00:06:47,105
THEY'RE DYING AND RESURRECTING
OVER AND OVER AND OVER 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 EXTENDS
THE LIFE OF ITS 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 OF 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 TERRIFYING 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'S HAPPENED
TO THEIR SIBLING?
136
00:07:23,510 --> 00:07:25,677
BINARY STARS ARE
ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE
137
00:07:25,679 --> 00:07:28,146
FOR THE EXISTENCE
OF MILLISECOND PULSARS.
138
00:07:28,148 --> 00:07:30,515
THEY ONLY EXIST BECAUSE
THEY'VE SUCKED THE LIFE
139
00:07:30,517 --> 00:07:32,517
OUT OF THEIR COMPANION STARS.
140
00:07:35,289 --> 00:07:37,823
THE MILLISECOND PULSARS
THAT WE SEE THAT ARE ALL ALONE
141
00:07:37,825 --> 00:07:39,825
MAY HAVE JUST GOTTEN
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 SPIDER NAMESAKE,
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
SPITTING OUT 100 TIMES MORE
RADIATION THAN A REGULAR ONE.
149
00:08:11,325 --> 00:08:13,992
A BLACK WIDOW PULSAR 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
THE INTENSE RADIATION
IS AMAZING.
152
00:08:18,899 --> 00:08:21,867
IT'S HARD TO FATHOM
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,
IT DOES HAPPEN.
156
00:08:29,476 --> 00:08:33,345
Narrator: THE BLACK WIDOW PULSAR
IS THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES.
157
00:08:33,347 --> 00:08:36,081
ITS RADIATION HEATS
THE COMPANION STAR
158
00:08:36,083 --> 00:08:39,885
TO OVER
21,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
159
00:08:39,887 --> 00:08:43,822
MORE THAN TWICE AS HOT
AS THE SURFACE OF OUR SUN.
160
00:08:43,824 --> 00:08:48,660
♪♪
161
00:08:48,662 --> 00:08:52,063
IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN
STELLAR ANNIHILATION.
162
00:08:53,867 --> 00:08:57,936
PULSARS ARE ALREADY DRAMATIC,
ENERGETIC EVENTS.
163
00:08:57,938 --> 00:09:01,506
NOW YOU'RE ADDING IN,
"HEY, LET'S DESTROY A STAR."
164
00:09:01,508 --> 00:09:04,376
BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS
FAMOUSLY EAT THEIR MATES,
165
00:09:04,378 --> 00:09:07,512
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
A BLACK WIDOW PULSAR DOES.
166
00:09:07,514 --> 00:09:09,981
IT ACTUALLY USES THE MATERIAL
FROM ITS COMPANION STAR
167
00:09:09,983 --> 00:09:11,516
TO SPIN ITSELF UP,
168
00:09:11,518 --> 00:09:14,085
AND THEN IT OBLITERATES
IT COMPLETELY.
169
00:09:14,087 --> 00:09:17,923
Narrator:
THE COMPANION STAR VANISHES,
170
00:09:17,925 --> 00:09:22,727
MURDERED BY
ITS ZOMBIE SIBLING.
171
00:09:22,729 --> 00:09:24,796
IT'S THE ULTIMATE
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'S BROUGHT THE PULSAR BACK
TO LIFE AFTER IT'S DIED TWICE,
174
00:09:29,937 --> 00:09:32,804
AND NOW ITS ENTIRE BODY
IS EVISCERATED
175
00:09:32,806 --> 00:09:34,506
BY THE RADIATION OF THE PULSAR
176
00:09:34,508 --> 00:09:37,776
WITHOUT A SPECK OF DUST
TO SUGGEST IT WAS EVER 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 THE ASSASSINS
OF THE GALAXY.
179
00:09:44,418 --> 00:09:46,718
NOT ONLY DO THEY
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 COULD THE OPPOSITE
ALSO BE TRUE?
185
00:10:02,502 --> 00:10:08,573
CAN TWO STARS CREATE AN OASIS
FOR HABITABLE ALIEN WORLDS?
186
00:10:12,813 --> 00:10:21,786
♪♪
BUT COULD THE OPPOSITE
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 ORBITING
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
SO THE UNIVERSE COULD
ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING LIKE
191
00:10:41,375 --> 00:10:45,143
WHAT WE SEE IN SCI-FI MOVIES.
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 ON THESE WORLDS?
196
00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,528
COULD TWO STARS
BE EVEN BETTER FOR LIFE?
197
00:11:05,499 --> 00:11:08,867
OUR HOME PLANET ORBITS
A SOLITARY 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'RE 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'S SOME SOLAR WEATHER.
202
00:11:20,147 --> 00:11:22,213
SOMETIMES IT THROWS OUT
HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLES
203
00:11:22,215 --> 00:11:24,249
THAT CREATE THE NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERN LIGHTS,
204
00:11:24,251 --> 00:11:26,584
BUT IT'S A VERY RELIABLE STAR.
205
00:11:26,586 --> 00:11:28,653
IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.
206
00:11:28,655 --> 00:11:31,122
WHEN THE SUN WAS MUCH YOUNGER,
IT 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 ROTATED
OVER 10 TIMES FASTER
210
00:11:40,801 --> 00:11:43,001
THAN IT DOES 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 OUT HUGE SOLAR FLARES.
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
PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE
VERY CLOSE TO THE STAR,
216
00:11:56,817 --> 00:11:58,450
AND THE REASON'S
BECAUSE SOLAR FLARES
217
00:11:58,452 --> 00:12:00,618
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 SMASH INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
AND THEY CAN STRIP AWAY
220
00:12:04,725 --> 00:12:08,293
GAS OFF THE ATMOSPHERE.
221
00:12:08,295 --> 00:12:12,330
Narrator: PICTURE THE EARLY
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 ATMOSPHERES
OF ROCKY PLANETS.
224
00:12:18,638 --> 00:12:23,708
DEADLY CHARGED PARTICLES CAN RIP
THEM AWAY 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 VERY EARLY STAGES, OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM WAS AN AWFUL 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 EMITTING LOTS OF ENERGY
IN OUR REGION.
230
00:12:47,434 --> 00:12:50,468
IT TOOK A LONG TIME,
PROBABLY 500 MILLION YEARS OR SO
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 ANYTHING 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 PLANETS ORBITING
ONE 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
IT'S 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 IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN PLANET
NAMED PROXIMA B.
240
00:13:24,471 --> 00:13:28,840
BUT PROXIMA CENTAURI HAS NOT
TREATED ITS PLANET GENTLY.
241
00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:34,345
IF PROXIMA B
HAS ANY LIQUID WATER,
242
00:13:34,347 --> 00:13:36,981
IT WOULD HAVE
TO BE EXTREMELY 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
HUGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY
TO COME OUT,
245
00:13:43,557 --> 00:13:45,256
AND IT WOULD
EFFECTIVELY STRIP AWAY
246
00:13:45,258 --> 00:13:49,227
PROXIMA B OF ANY KIND OF
ATMOSPHERE OR SURFACE WATER,
247
00:13:49,229 --> 00:13:53,164
THEREBY REMOVING ANY CHANCE
OF THERE BEING HABITABLE WORLD.
248
00:13:53,166 --> 00:13:55,200
THE ONLY HOPE WE HAVE LEFT
FOR PROXIMA B
249
00:13:55,202 --> 00:13:57,602
IS A STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD.
250
00:13:57,604 --> 00:14:00,271
THIS WOULD SURROUND
AND PROTECT THE PLANET
251
00:14:00,273 --> 00:14:03,074
FROM THE ONSLAUGHT
OF VIOLENT ENERGY
252
00:14:03,076 --> 00:14:04,776
THAT COMES OUT
OF PROXIMA CENTAURI,
253
00:14:04,778 --> 00:14:06,711
AND THAT WAY, THERE COULD
STILL BE AN OCEAN,
254
00:14:06,713 --> 00:14:08,780
THERE COULD BE
AN OXYGEN-RICH ATMOSPHERE,
255
00:14:08,782 --> 00:14:10,682
AND PERHAPS 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 RIGHT NOW FOR PROXIMA B,
ODDS ARE STACKED AGAINST IT.
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
PROTECTS US FROM THE SUN'S
WORST OUTBURSTS,
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
HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY.
264
00:14:36,643 --> 00:14:40,178
SOLAR STORMS BLASTED
THEIR YOUNG ATMOSPHERES...
265
00:14:42,449 --> 00:14:45,617
UNTIL THEY BECAME THIN AND WEAK,
266
00:14:45,619 --> 00:14:48,453
SNUFFING OUT 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
ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS EASIER,
269
00:14:57,864 --> 00:15:04,035
WHERE PLANETS ORBIT AROUND
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 THOSE STARS
CAN SLOW DOWN THEIR ROTATION,
273
00:15:13,446 --> 00:15:16,714
AND THAT MEANS THAT THAT
VIOLENCE CAN BE SLOWED DOWN.
274
00:15:16,716 --> 00:15:19,083
Man: THESE SOLAR STORMS
CAN BE TEMPERED
275
00:15:19,085 --> 00:15:21,753
SO THEY'RE NOT AS VIOLENT,
THEY'RE NOT AS FREQUENT,
276
00:15:21,755 --> 00:15:25,957
AND IF ANY YOUNG PLANET
IS FORMED WITH AN ATMOSPHERE,
277
00:15:25,959 --> 00:15:27,959
IT 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 MAY VERY WELL BE
THAT HAVING TWO STARS
280
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,335
COULD BE A LOT 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 THE SPIN
OF TWO CLOSE SUN-LIKE STARS,
283
00:15:43,376 --> 00:15:48,146
GIVING LIFE THE CHANCE
TO DEVELOP.
284
00:15:48,148 --> 00:15:50,815
BUT NOT JUST ON 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 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 THAT EXTENDS
THE HABITABLE ZONE
290
00:16:02,195 --> 00:16:04,295
FARTHER OUT
INTO THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
291
00:16:07,434 --> 00:16:10,268
Narrator: FOR PLANETARY
SCIENTIST JANI RADEBAUGH,
292
00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:14,405
EXPLORING SYSTEMS LIKE THIS
WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE.
293
00:16:14,407 --> 00:16:17,875
♪♪
294
00:16:17,877 --> 00:16:21,145
TO ME, IT IS SO THRILLING THAT
WORLDS LIKE THIS COULD EXIST
295
00:16:21,147 --> 00:16:23,481
AND THAT THEY MIGHT
EVEN HARBOR LIFE.
296
00:16:23,483 --> 00:16:26,184
I MEAN, THERE COULD BE A SCI-FI
DESERT PLANET LIKE THIS ONE
297
00:16:26,186 --> 00:16:28,186
WITH TWIN SUNS,
298
00:16:28,188 --> 00:16:30,421
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE AND 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 HOP 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 BACKPACKERS
COULD EXPLORE
303
00:16:42,435 --> 00:16:45,169
A VARIETY OF SCI-FI LANDSCAPES.
304
00:16:45,171 --> 00:16:49,007
♪♪
305
00:16:49,009 --> 00:16:53,144
PERHAPS ALIEN CIVILIZATIONS
ARE ALREADY OUT THERE,
306
00:16:53,146 --> 00:16:56,381
LIVING ON 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
INTO SPACE AT HYPER 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 WOULD LIFE 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 IS PLANET EARTH REALLY
AS GOOD AS IT GETS?
316
00:17:40,093 --> 00:17:42,427
Man: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN
ABODE FOR LIFE IN THE GALAXY,
317
00:17:42,429 --> 00:17:45,196
WE TEND TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR A
RATHER COZY EXISTENCE OUT THERE,
318
00:17:45,198 --> 00:17:47,331
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT STARS CAN TAKE YOU
319
00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:49,067
ON A BIT OF A WILD RIDE
SOMETIMES.
320
00:17:49,069 --> 00:17:52,236
♪♪
321
00:17:52,238 --> 00:17:53,638
Narrator:
OVER THE PAST DECADE,
322
00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,074
WE'VE OBSERVED
MYSTERIOUS OBJECTS
323
00:17:56,076 --> 00:17:58,709
HURTLING THROUGH THE GALAXY.
324
00:17:58,711 --> 00:18:02,413
SCIENTISTS CALL THEM
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'RE TALKING SOME
HYPER VELOCITIES.
328
00:18:10,290 --> 00:18:14,258
THEY'VE BEEN OBSERVED MOVING UP
TO 620 MILES PER SECOND.
329
00:18:14,260 --> 00:18:17,295
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING
THE SIZE OF A STAR, THE SUN,
330
00:18:17,297 --> 00:18:20,498
AN OCTILLION TONS OF MASS OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT
331
00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:24,769
GETTING FLUNG AWAY 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 OFF IN A BINARY SYSTEM,
334
00:18:31,478 --> 00:18:34,011
BUT SOMETHING
TEARS 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 OF
339
00:18:45,725 --> 00:18:47,992
IS 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
IT 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
OF THE BLACK HOLE PULLS AT THEM.
347
00:19:18,758 --> 00:19:22,760
BUT THE STAR CLOSEST FEELS
A MUCH STRONGER TUG,
348
00:19:22,762 --> 00:19:26,063
AND THIS BINARY SYSTEM
GETS RIPPED APART.
349
00:19:29,269 --> 00:19:31,702
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE
THE OLYMPIC HAMMER THROW,
350
00:19:31,704 --> 00:19:35,106
WHERE THE HAMMER IS
ONE 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 TIE
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 THAT CORD,
THE OTHER STAR CAN GO FLYING OFF
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 CORD 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 TRAPPED
IN THE 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 FLUNG
OUT OF 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
BOUND TO A STAR
365
00:20:17,917 --> 00:20:21,352
AND THAT STAR GETS EJECTED
FROM THE SYSTEM,
366
00:20:21,354 --> 00:20:23,187
IF CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT,
367
00:20:23,189 --> 00:20:26,324
THAT PLANET CAN HITCH A RIDE
WITH THAT STAR.
368
00:20:26,326 --> 00:20:28,993
WHERE THE STAR GOES,
THE PLANET GOES.
369
00:20:28,995 --> 00:20:33,731
♪♪
370
00:20:33,733 --> 00:20:36,267
IF YOU'RE ON 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
BREATHTAKING VIEW IMAGINABLE.
373
00:20:42,976 --> 00:20:45,109
YOU WOULD START AT THE VERY
CENTER OF THE GALAXY,
374
00:20:45,111 --> 00:20:48,546
YOU'LL 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 TO THRILLING
NEW VIEWS OF THE GALAXY.
379
00:21:00,226 --> 00:21:04,362
♪♪
380
00:21:04,364 --> 00:21:06,264
BY THE TIME YOU'RE DONE
AS YOU'RE 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 RECEDE
AWAY FROM YOU
383
00:21:13,773 --> 00:21:17,742
AS YOU MOVED OFF INTO 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 WAY
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
387
00:21:29,622 --> 00:21:32,757
Man: AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT
STARS AND STELLAR SYSTEMS,
388
00:21:32,759 --> 00:21:36,961
EVEN THE MOST FANTASTICAL
IMAGININGS OF SCI-FI WRITERS,
389
00:21:36,963 --> 00:21:39,997
IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE
TO WHAT NATURE CAN PRODUCE.
390
00:21:39,999 --> 00:21:43,401
♪♪
391
00:21:43,403 --> 00:21:46,404
Narrator: THIS HYPERVELOCITY
STAR AND PLANET
392
00:21:46,406 --> 00:21:48,806
GO ON THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME,
393
00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:51,542
BUT WHAT 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
IT, TOO, COULD HAVE
A PLANET ORBITING IT,
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'S A PLANET ORBITING
THE STAR THAT GETS 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 ORBITING
401
00:22:14,033 --> 00:22:16,334
THE STAR THAT'S ORBITING
THE BLACK HOLE,
402
00:22:16,336 --> 00:22:19,470
THAT'S NOT PROBABLY
GONNA LAST VERY LONG.
403
00:22:19,472 --> 00:22:23,140
TYPICALLY, THE LITTLE GUY --
PEW! GETS SHOT AWAY.
404
00:22:23,142 --> 00:22:26,644
♪♪
405
00:22:26,646 --> 00:22:29,413
SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
THAT WE HAVE HYPERVELOCITY
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
THAT ARE SHOOTING
OUT OF THE GALAXY
409
00:22:34,687 --> 00:22:38,322
AT HIGH SPEED, AS WELL.
410
00:22:38,324 --> 00:22:40,925
Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT A TRIP
YOU'D WANT 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'S NO LONGER
BOUND TO A STAR,
416
00:22:56,976 --> 00:23:00,244
SO THE OUTER SURFACE
WOULD MOST LIKELY FREEZE.
417
00:23:02,348 --> 00:23:03,614
Narrator: BINARY STARS
418
00:23:03,616 --> 00:23:07,818
CAN CREATE WEIRD ENVIRONMENTS
FOR PLANETS.
419
00:23:07,820 --> 00:23:12,456
YOU COULD GET AN EXHILARATING
VIEW OF THE GALAXY,
420
00:23:12,458 --> 00:23:15,459
OR FREEZE ON AN ICY WASTELAND.
421
00:23:15,461 --> 00:23:23,801
♪♪
422
00:23:23,803 --> 00:23:28,072
BUT ASTRONOMERS ARE FINDING
BIZARRE 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'RE BEING DRIVEN TOGETHER,
425
00:23:35,681 --> 00:23:41,018
CREATING A COSMIC EVENT
COMING SOON TO OUR GALAXY.
426
00:23:44,290 --> 00:23:52,329
THEY'RE 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'S EVEN ONE THAT HAS
TWO STARS SO CLOSE,
431
00:24:05,478 --> 00:24:09,046
THEY'RE TOUCHING.
432
00:24:09,048 --> 00:24:14,251
KIC 9832227 IS A VERY
INTERESTING BINARY SYSTEM.
433
00:24:14,253 --> 00:24:16,587
IT'S WHAT WE CALL
A CONTACT BINARY.
434
00:24:16,589 --> 00:24:20,458
SO THIS MEANS THAT THE TWO STARS
ARE BASICALLY IN CONTACT,
435
00:24:20,460 --> 00:24:21,959
BUT THEY'RE 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
ONE'S ABOUT A THIRD 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 ROTATING AROUND
EACH OTHER EVERY 11 HOURS.
440
00:24:34,707 --> 00:24:38,409
Narrator: 2017 --
SCIENTISTS FROM CALVIN COLLEGE
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
MOVING EVEN CLOSER TOGETHER.
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'VE STUDIED
BECAUSE THIS ONE, WE BELIEVE,
446
00:24:59,932 --> 00:25:03,033
IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
IS GOING TO MERGE,
447
00:25:03,035 --> 00:25:05,970
SPIRAL IN TOGETHER, AND EXPLODE.
448
00:25:08,808 --> 00:25:11,408
BUT IT'S A STAR
CLOSE ENOUGH TO US --
449
00:25:11,410 --> 00:25:13,811
ONLY 1,800 LIGHT YEARS AWAY --
450
00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:15,946
THAT WHEN IT EXPLODES,
IT'D BE BRIGHT ENOUGH
451
00:25:15,948 --> 00:25:18,215
TO SEE WITH YOUR NAKED EYE.
452
00:25:18,217 --> 00:25:21,151
Narrator:
TWO STARS CRASHING TOGETHER --
453
00:25:21,153 --> 00:25:25,289
AN EVENT KNOWN AS A RED NOVA.
454
00:25:25,291 --> 00:25:27,024
Man: IF THIS IS 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
BECAUSE NOT ONLY
WOULD IT VALIDATE
457
00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:31,996
THIS AMAZING PREDICTION,
458
00:25:31,998 --> 00:25:34,532
BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO
LOOK AT IN THE NIGHT SKY.
459
00:25:34,534 --> 00:25:38,102
IF THIS COMES THROUGH,
THIS WOULD JUST BE
460
00:25:38,104 --> 00:25:40,337
THE EVENT OF MY LIFETIME.
461
00:25:43,009 --> 00:25:46,510
Man: WE DON'T GET TO PREDICT
TOO 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
"A BILLION YEARS FROM NOW,
THIS THING WILL HAPPEN."
464
00:25:50,182 --> 00:25:54,251
SO YOU HAVE TO APPRECIATE
WHAT THIS THING IS.
465
00:25:54,253 --> 00:25:57,955
THESE STARS ARE PROBABLY
BILLIONS OF YEARS OLD.
466
00:25:57,957 --> 00:26:01,559
WE'RE JUST SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE
TO SEE THIS RIGHT AT THE END
467
00:26:01,561 --> 00:26:03,727
WHERE WE JUST HAVE
A FEW YEARS LEFT --
468
00:26:03,729 --> 00:26:07,164
A FEW YEARS OUT OF
A BILLION-YEAR LIFE SPAN.
469
00:26:07,166 --> 00:26:10,968
♪♪
470
00:26:10,970 --> 00:26:14,204
Narrator: IT'S AN AMAZING
COSMIC COINCIDENCE
471
00:26:14,206 --> 00:26:17,841
BROUGHT TO YOU
BY THE NUMBER 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 DISTANT THIRD STAR
THAT 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
THE GRAVITATIONAL DYNAMICS
BECOMES INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED.
477
00:26:35,728 --> 00:26:38,562
THE THIRD STAR PULLS
ON THE 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
INTO AN ELONGATED ORBIT.
480
00:26:44,804 --> 00:26:46,604
THE TWO STARS RESIST THAT,
481
00:26:46,606 --> 00:26:49,607
TRYING TO CIRCULARIZE
THEIR ORBIT AGAIN.
482
00:26:49,609 --> 00:26:52,276
THAT BACK AND FORTH INTERACTION
483
00:26:52,278 --> 00:26:54,645
PUSHES 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
SHOVED TOGETHER,
486
00:27:01,220 --> 00:27:04,755
BUT THEIR STORY IS ABOUT
TO GET EVEN WEIRDER.
487
00:27:07,827 --> 00:27:10,427
MATTER WILL STREAM OFF
THE SMALLER STAR
488
00:27:10,429 --> 00:27:14,598
UNTIL IT IS TOO GRAVITATIONALLY
WEAK TO HOLD ITS POSITION...
489
00:27:16,769 --> 00:27:19,837
DRIVING THEIR ORBITS
EVEN TIGHTER TOGETHER,
490
00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:22,506
MOVING THEM FASTER AND FASTER.
491
00:27:24,677 --> 00:27:29,513
FINALLY, THE SMALLER STAR
WILL PLUNGE INTO THE LARGER ONE,
492
00:27:29,515 --> 00:27:33,283
TEARING THROUGH IT...
493
00:27:33,285 --> 00:27:36,854
AND BLASTING HUNDREDS OF
TRILLIONS OF TONS OF DEBRIS
494
00:27:36,856 --> 00:27:39,723
IN EVERY DIRECTION.
495
00:27:39,725 --> 00:27:41,992
Man: THIS WOULD BE AN ENORMOUS
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 BALL OF GAS,
501
00:28:02,515 --> 00:28:06,517
A NEWBORN STAR.
502
00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:08,452
JUST THINK ABOUT
HOW COOL THAT IS.
503
00:28:08,454 --> 00:28:11,722
IN THE CONSTELLATION CYGNUS,
IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS' TIME,
504
00:28:11,724 --> 00:28:16,026
A NEW STAR IS GONNA TURN ON
CREATED FROM TWO OLDER STARS --
505
00:28:16,028 --> 00:28:19,430
AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY OF
SEEING A STAR BEING BORN.
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 OUTWARDS,
508
00:28:26,839 --> 00:28:31,141
TURNING RED AS IT COOLS,
BECOMING THE RED NOVA.
509
00:28:31,143 --> 00:28:37,047
♪♪
510
00:28:37,049 --> 00:28:40,417
THE EXPLOSION WILL CREATE
A BRAND-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 GET 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 WOULD 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 VERY,
VERY ENERGETIC EVENT.
519
00:29:10,483 --> 00:29:13,917
COULD LIFE SURVIVE
SUCH AN EVENT?
520
00:29:13,919 --> 00:29:16,920
I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE THERE
AS THE TEST GUINEA PIG.
521
00:29:20,559 --> 00:29:22,559
ALL THIS ENERGY
COMES POURING IN,
522
00:29:22,561 --> 00:29:26,096
AND YOUR ATMOSPHERE
IS LIKELY TO BE STRIPPED AWAY.
523
00:29:26,098 --> 00:29:28,365
IF THERE ARE OCEANS
ON THIS WORLD,
524
00:29:28,367 --> 00:29:30,501
THEY'RE LIKELY TO BE VAPORIZED,
525
00:29:30,503 --> 00:29:34,538
AND THERE MAY BE VERY LITTLE
LEFT OTHER THAN ROCK.
526
00:29:34,540 --> 00:29:36,807
A NOVA IS NOTHING YOU WANT
TO FOOL AROUND WITH.
527
00:29:36,809 --> 00:29:39,676
ANY PLANET THAT'S CLOSE BY
IS GONNA GET COOKED.
528
00:29:39,678 --> 00:29:43,580
IT'S GONNA GET SANDBLASTED,
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE IT IS.
529
00:29:43,582 --> 00:29:45,449
IF THAT'S 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 EARTH.
531
00:29:52,591 --> 00:29:55,259
Narrator: EARTH HAS A GOOD THING
GOING THESE DAYS
532
00:29:55,261 --> 00:29:57,561
WITH OUR SINGLE STAR.
533
00:29:57,563 --> 00:30:03,834
NO COLLISIONS,
NO 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 AT ALL?
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
HAS BLOWN THE SEARCH FOR ALIEN
WORLDS WIDE OPEN,
541
00:30:39,872 --> 00:30:42,906
DISCOVERING
THOUSANDS OF EXOPLANETS
542
00:30:42,908 --> 00:30:45,142
ORBITING SINGLE STARS.
543
00:30:45,144 --> 00:30:48,912
♪♪
544
00:30:48,914 --> 00:30:52,216
BUT FINDING ROCKY PLANETS
IN BINARY SYSTEMS
545
00:30:52,218 --> 00:30:54,151
IS PROVING DIFFICULT.
546
00:30:54,153 --> 00:30:57,621
♪♪
547
00:30:57,623 --> 00:31:00,457
WE HAVE FOUND PLANETS
ORBITING BINARY STAR SYSTEMS,
548
00:31:00,459 --> 00:31:02,826
AND THAT'S A BIG 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 BEEN GAS GIANTS,
551
00:31:07,666 --> 00:31:11,635
AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY
GOOD FOR FORMING LIFE.
552
00:31:11,637 --> 00:31:13,937
Narrator:
FOR ALIEN CIVILIZATIONS
553
00:31:13,939 --> 00:31:15,572
TO EXIST 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 MAYBE ROCKY PLANETS
558
00:31:27,620 --> 00:31:29,219
AROUND BINARY STARS
559
00:31:29,221 --> 00:31:32,422
JUST DON'T EXIST FOR SOME REASON
THAT WE 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 IT 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'RE A PLANET TRYING TO
FORM AROUND A BINARY SYSTEM,
564
00:31:47,773 --> 00:31:50,374
THE GRAVITY IN THE MIDDLE
IS 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 INFANT 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 TOO 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 PLAY DESTABILIZE
A LOT 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
THAT MIGHT WANT TO FORM TO FIND
A STABLE, LONG-TERM HOME
576
00:32:31,717 --> 00:32:35,285
THAT LASTS FOR BILLIONS OF YEARS
AROUND THAT BINARY SYSTEM.
577
00:32:35,287 --> 00:32:39,790
IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO GET
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
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, 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 IN AROUND STARS
584
00:33:01,613 --> 00:33:04,014
WHERE IT'S NICE AND WARM, BUT
FURTHER OUT WHERE IT'S COLDER,
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 WHIPPING OUT
588
00:33:10,622 --> 00:33:12,356
ALL OF THAT ROCKY MATERIAL
589
00:33:12,358 --> 00:33:14,491
SO THAT YOU'RE ONLY LEFT
WITH THE COLD STUFF,
590
00:33:14,493 --> 00:33:17,260
WHICH 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 NICE, PEACEFUL SPOT AWAY FROM
THE COMPETING GRAVITY
594
00:33:27,439 --> 00:33:30,841
OF THE TWO STARS.
595
00:33:30,843 --> 00:33:35,712
PERHAPS ONE-STAR SYSTEMS
ARE BETTER THAN TWO.
596
00:33:35,714 --> 00:33:38,315
GAS GIANTS AREN'T GREAT
FOR LIFE,
597
00:33:38,317 --> 00:33:44,354
AND THOSE ARE THE PLANETS WE'RE
FINDING IN THESE BINARY SYSTEMS.
598
00:33:44,356 --> 00:33:46,523
THE VERY REASON THAT WE'RE HERE
COULD BE DOWN TO THE FACT
599
00:33:46,525 --> 00:33:48,558
THAT WE HAVE ONE STAR
RATHER THAN 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
AROUND 2,000 LIGHT YEARS AWAY
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
WE TEND TO GIVE THEM
CATALOGUE NAMES,
606
00:34:05,911 --> 00:34:07,577
WHICH CAN BE VERY BORING
607
00:34:07,579 --> 00:34:10,147
AND VERY DIFFICULT
TO KEEP TRACK OF.
608
00:34:10,149 --> 00:34:14,284
BUT SDSS 1557
IS WORTH REMEMBERING.
609
00:34:16,688 --> 00:34:19,489
Man: WE'VE SEEN A BINARY SYSTEM
THAT IS A WHITE DWARF --
610
00:34:19,491 --> 00:34:21,792
WHICH IS THE CORE
OF A STAR LIKE THE SUN
611
00:34:21,794 --> 00:34:23,326
AFTER IT'S GOTTEN VERY OLD,
612
00:34:23,328 --> 00:34:26,797
BLOWN OFF ITS OUTER LAYERS --
THAT'S ORBITED BY A BROWN DWARF,
613
00:34:26,799 --> 00:34:28,198
AN OBJECT WHICH IS
SORT 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'S MOST EXCITING
ABOUT THE SDSS 1557 SYSTEM
616
00:34:36,208 --> 00:34:40,610
IS THAT WE'VE 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 FORMING PLANETS.
619
00:34:45,651 --> 00:34:47,150
THIS IS A REALLY
EXCITING DISCOVERY
620
00:34:47,152 --> 00:34:49,252
BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN
THE REMNANTS OF ASTEROIDS
621
00:34:49,254 --> 00:34:52,722
AND ROCKS ORBITING ABOUT
THIS ANCIENT BINARY SYSTEM,
622
00:34:52,724 --> 00:34:56,093
SYSTEMS THAT WE THOUGHT
COULD'VE NEVER HAD SURVIVING
623
00:34:56,095 --> 00:34:58,495
ROCKY-TYPE THINGS
AROUND IT 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 THAT TIME,
626
00:35:06,572 --> 00:35:11,274
THE ROCKY MATERIAL
HASN'T BEEN WIPED OUT.
627
00:35:11,276 --> 00:35:13,510
IT HAS SURVIVED.
628
00:35:13,512 --> 00:35:18,181
THIS IS A HUGE STEPPING STONE
TO FINDING 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'S ROCKY MATERIAL
631
00:35:23,989 --> 00:35:26,857
CLOSE IN AROUND
A BINARY STAR SYSTEM,
632
00:35:26,859 --> 00:35:29,826
SO IT'S A SIGNPOST
THAT ROCKY PLANET 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 MIGHT BE LONGER,
BUT IT'S STILL POSSIBLE.
635
00:35:37,536 --> 00:35:42,372
Narrator: COULD THERE EVEN STILL
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 MAY STILL BE THERE.
638
00:35:50,082 --> 00:35:56,686
♪♪
639
00:35:56,688 --> 00:36:00,157
Narrator:
THE SEARCH IS STILL ON.
640
00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:04,794
A ROCKY PLANET ORBITING
TWO STARS COULD REALLY EXIST.
641
00:36:06,832 --> 00:36:09,432
SO, FOR THOSE OF US HOPING
FOR THAT TATOOINE OUT THERE,
642
00:36:09,434 --> 00:36:11,601
THAT PLANET
WITH THE DOUBLE SUNSET,
643
00:36:11,603 --> 00:36:13,937
THESE DEBRIS FIELDS
ACTUALLY GIVE US HOPE.
644
00:36:13,939 --> 00:36:16,973
MAYBE THE CONDITIONS, AT LEAST,
ARE RIGHT FOR THE FORMATION
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 IT IS MORE
A QUESTION OF WHEN THAN IF.
648
00:36:24,583 --> 00:36:28,318
AS AN ASTRONOMER, THIS IS
A FANTASTIC TIME TO BE ALIVE
649
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,953
AT THE CUSP OF DISCOVERY.
650
00:36:29,955 --> 00:36:33,557
AS A SCIENCE FICTION FAN, THIS
IS A FANTASTIC TIME TO BE ALIVE
651
00:36:33,559 --> 00:36:36,293
BECAUSE THE STUFF I READ
AS A KID IS COMING TRUE.
652
00:36:36,295 --> 00:36:38,895
♪♪
653
00:36:38,897 --> 00:36:42,599
Narrator: BUT PERHAPS
THE BIGGEST SCI-FI FANTASY
654
00:36:42,601 --> 00:36:45,835
IS MUCH CLOSER TO HOME,
655
00:36:45,837 --> 00:36:50,473
BECAUSE NEW RESEARCH IS
SUGGESTING SOMETHING STUNNING --
656
00:36:50,475 --> 00:36:54,411
OUR OWN SUN COULD HAVE A TWIN.
657
00:36:58,951 --> 00:37:07,958
♪
BECAUSE NEW RESEARCH IS
SUGGESTING SOMETHING STUNNING --
658
00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:12,162
Narrator: A NEW STUDY IN 2017
THROWS 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 AMAZING THING IS THAT
THE EVIDENCE IS SUGGESTING
664
00:37:26,812 --> 00:37:30,847
THAT EVERY SINGLE SUN-LIKE STAR
FORMS AS PART OF A BINARY PAIR.
665
00:37:32,684 --> 00:37:37,187
Narrator: THE SCIENTISTS STUDY
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
PACKED WITH STARS
JUST LIKE OUR SUN.
668
00:37:46,732 --> 00:37:49,833
MANY OF THEM ARE IN WIDE
BINARY SYSTEMS,
669
00:37:49,835 --> 00:37:52,602
TRAVELING IN HUGE ORBITS
AROUND EACH OTHER
670
00:37:52,604 --> 00:37:57,040
THAT SPAN CENTURIES OR MORE.
671
00:37:57,042 --> 00:38:00,510
AND ALL OF THESE BINARIES
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 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.
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 BURST INTO LIFE
WITH A SIBLING.
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 HAVEN'T SEEN?
684
00:38:45,824 --> 00:38:49,192
Man: THERE WAS AN IDEA THAT
THE SUN COULD HAVE A COMPANION,
685
00:38:49,194 --> 00:38:51,061
WHICH WAS NICKNAMED NEMESIS,
686
00:38:51,063 --> 00:38:53,963
AND THIS THING WOULD'VE
ORBITED WAY FAR OUT,
687
00:38:53,965 --> 00:38:57,901
WAY PAST NEPTUNE
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
688
00:38:57,903 --> 00:39:01,638
Narrator: SCIENTISTS SEARCHED
FOR THIS NEMESIS STAR,
689
00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:05,075
BUT THEY CAME BACK EMPTY HANDED.
690
00:39:05,077 --> 00:39:08,411
WE'VE LOOKED -- WE'VE 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
WOULD BE VERY BRIGHT,
693
00:39:13,285 --> 00:39:17,153
AND WE'VE SWEPT THE ENTIRE
SKY MULTIPLE TIMES
694
00:39:17,155 --> 00:39:19,222
AND WE'VE SEEN 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'S SIBLING IS A MYSTERY.
697
00:39:28,266 --> 00:39:32,202
HOW DO WE END UP WITH ONE STAR
AS OPPOSED TO BINARY?
698
00:39:32,204 --> 00:39:35,338
WE REALLY DON'T
QUITE UNDERSTAND.
699
00:39:35,340 --> 00:39:37,273
Narrator:
IF IT DOESN'T ORBIT US NOW,
700
00:39:37,275 --> 00:39:41,711
IT MAY HAVE LEFT
OUR SYSTEM LONG AGO.
701
00:39:41,713 --> 00:39:43,947
OVER TIME, SOME OF
THESE BINARY STARS
702
00:39:43,949 --> 00:39:46,149
GET CLOSER TOGETHER
AND STAY TOGETHER,
703
00:39:46,151 --> 00:39:49,219
AND OTHERS GET RIPPED APART
AND LOSE EACH OTHER ENTIRELY.
704
00:39:49,221 --> 00:39:52,922
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT OUR SUN,
AT SOME POINT,
705
00:39:52,924 --> 00:39:56,960
HAD A TWIN THAT GOT 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 WAS TORN AWAY.
708
00:40:00,899 --> 00:40:03,166
IT COULD BE CLEAR ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE GALAXY
709
00:40:03,168 --> 00:40:06,436
FROM US BY NOW.
710
00:40:06,438 --> 00:40:10,440
Narrator: BUT AFTER EVERYTHING
WE'VE SEEN IN BINARY SYSTEMS,
711
00:40:10,442 --> 00:40:13,109
WE MAY BE MUCH
BETTER OFF WITHOUT IT.
712
00:40:15,147 --> 00:40:16,980
I'M PRETTY HAPPY
WITH HAVING JUST ONE SUN,
713
00:40:16,982 --> 00:40:21,117
SO I'M FINE TO LIVE
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 ONLY MORE BEAUTIFUL
IF YOU WERE ALIVE.
716
00:40:27,559 --> 00:40:29,793
Narrator: AND YET BINARY STARS
717
00:40:29,795 --> 00:40:32,896
DON'T 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
OF HABITABLE WORLDS.
720
00:40:39,805 --> 00:40:42,305
THERE'S SO MUCH 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'RE IN
A VERY LUCKY PLACE.
723
00:40:47,078 --> 00:40:49,846
THE SUN IS VERY STABLE,
IT'S A SINGLE STAR,
724
00:40:49,848 --> 00:40:51,714
WE'RE IN A NICE ORBIT AROUND IT,
725
00:40:51,716 --> 00:40:54,317
BUT MAYBE THERE ARE PLACES OUT
THERE THAT ARE EVEN BETTER.
726
00:40:54,319 --> 00:40:56,152
WE JUST DIDN'T EVEN KNOW 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 WHETHER
WE'RE LUCKY OR UNLUCKY
732
00:41:16,007 --> 00:41:18,041
TO 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 WHAT
IT WOULD SEEM LIKE
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 KIND OF WISH WE DID LIVE
IN A BINARY STAR SYSTEM.
738
00:41:34,392 --> 00:41:37,660
CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEBODY
LIVING ON A CIRCUM-BINARY PLANET
739
00:41:37,662 --> 00:41:40,930
AND FINDING AN EARTHLIKE PLANET
ORBITING A SOLITARY STAR.
740
00:41:40,932 --> 00:41:42,765
WOULD THEY THINK, "OH, HOW
INTERESTING THAT WOULD BE.
741
00:41:42,767 --> 00:41:45,435
CAN YOU IMAGINE
HAVING ONE SUNSET?
742
00:41:45,437 --> 00:41:46,636
WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?"
743
00:41:46,638 --> 00:41:48,738
I CAN IMAGINE THEM
ASKING THEMSELVES
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 MATTER
OF PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW?
746
00:41:53,278 --> 00:41:56,246
GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE BINARY SYSTEM.
747
00:41:56,248 --> 00:42:00,550
♪♪
66365
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