what would happen to earth if Sun was a binary star?

Answer 1

Humans would not look like they do today.

Answer 2

There is a theory, that the Sun *is* in fact binary except that the other star is too faint and too far from our system to have it traced with our instruments. In that case, here we are and there is no need to think about it further.

Also, in the current formation the most likely scenario would be the Sun and Jupiter to form the binary system with the Earth closer to the Sun. For this to happen Jupiter would have to be more massive for the nuclear reactions to start taking place in its core (consider Jupiter as a failed to ignite star).

That's a good point to start thinking about it. What would the Earth's orbit be if Jupiter were more massive? Would the Earth's orbit still be stable? What about the radiation levels coming from two Suns together? Would there be night ever on Earth? Would our planet be warmer and would it still be in the zone where life could be sustainable? Try to think for yourself for a while :)

Finally, option 3. If the binary system were close packed together thus creating unstable orbits between the two Suns. In that case the Earth would have to be far away from the two Suns, 'feeling' the binary system as a single Sun and making its orbit around the system stable.

In fact, all of these are cases that come up when astronomers come to study planets outside our Solar System, that is, exoplanets. In many cases we simply don't have all the answers because we have only one system to consider, that is, our own. But as we keep studying these exoplanets one day we will be in a position to say a lot more on that!

Answer 3

If our solar system was a binary system the earth would orbit one or the other of the stars.
If they were far enough apart we would carry on the way we are but with two suns in the sky.
It may effect tides and weather but I can't see why we couldn't be here.

Answer 4

the element relies upon on how close the binary stars orbit one yet another - in the event that they are too close it could be impossible for a planet to have a solid orbit by using fact the orbit could be continuously changed via the stars so the planet could the two finally end up too close, too some distance away or thrown out of the equipment. In an set up equipment the planet could regardless of the undeniable fact that get right into a solid orbit an occasion could be a planet orbiting the celebrity Alpha Centauri - this incorporates a celebrity very resembling our sunlight and a particularly duller and cooler celebrity. With the orbital era of seventy 9.ninety one years, the A and B factors of this binary celebrity can concepts-set one yet another to eleven.2 astronomical gadgets, comparable to a million.sixty seven billion km or on the subject of the advise distance between the sunlight and Saturn, or could recede so some distance as 35.6 AU 5.3 billion km—approximately the area from the sunlight to Pluto. anybody on a planet planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A could see 2 "suns" in the sky, a bright "regular" sunlight and a "secondary" sunlight which may well be lots weaker yet nevertheless many instances brighter than the great moon as considered from Earth. On a linear scale it could be 2500 to one hundred ninety instances dimmer than Alpha Centauri A , yet in addition one hundred ninety to 2500 instances brighter than the great Moon as considered from the Earth. for approximately 40 unusual years, at 'stellar' opposition, the two stars could be opposite one yet another in the sky. Then, for approximately 0.5 the twelve months the visual attraction of the night sky could be a darker blue resembling the sky throughout totality at any finished photograph voltaic eclipse. people could quite walk around and clearly see the encompassing terrain. additionally examining a e book could be somewhat attainable with none man made easy. After yet another era in the stellar orbit, the stars could finished their orbital cycle and return to the subsequent stellar conjunction, and the easy Earth-like day and night cycle could return.

Answer 5

Actually........... We are very close to being a binary system. If Jupiter had about half again the mass it has, it would be just about large enough (IIRC) to light up the fusion fire(s) and we'd have a 2'nd star (and a dozen more planets, since they'd no longer be moons ☺).


Doug

Answer 6

There is some evidence that suggests that our Sun actually does have a binary partner.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060424180559.htm