Sirius - habitable orbit? (link)

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In summary, the website claims that a planet could exist in an orbit around Sirius A that would be relatively immune to the X-Rays emitted from Sirius B. Additionally, the website claims that such a planet would have a similar temperature to Earth, making it potentially habitable.
  • #1
MonstersFromTheId
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I thought this was an interesting idea, it's an animation of a theoretically habitable orbit around Sirius A.

It's something *I* didn't expect. I always thought any planet pretty much anywhere in orbit of Sirius A would get baked by X-Rays from Sirius B every now and then.
This site contends that that's not neccessarily true if a planet was found to have the right orbit around Sirius A.
Neat.

Any thoughts?

The link:

http://www.solstation.com/orbits/siriussys.htm
 
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  • #2
I get a different result. Using that website's data for Sirius A & Sirius B mass, semi-major axes, and eccentricity, I find that a planet orbiting 4.76 AU from Sirius A is ejected from the system after only 1-2 orbits.

If I put the planet 4.76 AU from the AB barycenter rather than from Sirius A, it doesn't even complete 1 orbit.
 

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  • #3
If by _habitable_ you imply will be able to support life, then I think okay - if your calcs are right. If you imply has life, then I think difficult if not impossible, because sirius A is too young a system, and Sirius B will have gone through red giant phase relatively recently, disrupting all hopes for life.

I digress from your dynamics, sorry!
 
  • #4
rollingstone said:
If by _habitable_ you imply will be able to support life,..

what do you think (habitable or not) about this system 15 lightyears away?

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=79055

three planets have been detected
the inner one is too hot
the outer one is too cold
but the middle one would be roughly same average temp as earth

(I guess it would need to have satellites like the jovian system because the main planet is jupiter-size, but anyway temp seems right)

for data relevant to temperature, see
https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=604011&postcount=4
 
  • #5
<<<three planets have been detected
the inner one is too hot
the outer one is too cold
but the middle one would be roughly same average temp as earth>>>

If that middle one is a _rocky_ planet then there is every hope for life. So they should steer the SETI dishes in this direction now...
 
  • #6
If it's 'too hot', then not much hope. However, if it's 'too cold', there may be some ... the Earth gets hotter as you go deeper into the crust, and that heat has nothing to do with photons from the Sun. Too, we now know life is quite comfortable for a number of bacteria and archaea (and maybe even some eukaryotes?) ... even 20 km down, in 'solid' rock. Maybe in some Hadean pool, deep beneath the surface of Gliese 876c ...
 
  • #7
Supposing 4 a moment...

That there WAS not only a habitable, but inhabited world in orbit of Sirius A.
(This is for a SF story, so a bit of a stretch for artistic license here)
Assuming that this world did lay in the orbit proposed in the link of my orig post i.e. :

http://www.solstation.com/orbits/siriussys.htm

1) What would Sirius A look like from the surface of that world (color, size, brightness, etc.) if it were a more or less Earth like world?

2) What would Sirius B look like?

3) Would Sirius B have a strong influence of the seasons of such a world? Or would its influence in that regard be all but unnoticeable?
 

1. What is the habitable orbit of Sirius?

The habitable orbit of Sirius is the distance at which a planet or moon can orbit around Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, and potentially support life. This distance is often referred to as the "Goldilocks zone," as it is not too close or too far from the star, allowing for the presence of liquid water and a stable climate.

2. How far is Sirius's habitable orbit from the star?

The exact distance of Sirius's habitable orbit is not known, as it depends on factors such as the star's size and composition, and the planet's atmosphere. However, estimates suggest that it could range from about 1.5 AU (astronomical units) to 5 AU, with 1 AU being the distance between Earth and the Sun.

3. Is there any evidence of planets in Sirius's habitable orbit?

Currently, there is no confirmed evidence of planets in Sirius's habitable orbit. However, there have been some potential candidates, such as Sirius B, a white dwarf star that is part of the Sirius binary system. Further research and observations are needed to confirm the existence of planets in this region.

4. How does Sirius's habitable orbit compare to Earth's?

Sirius's habitable orbit is significantly larger and farther from its star compared to Earth's orbit around the Sun. Earth's orbit is approximately 1 AU, while Sirius's habitable orbit could range from 1.5 to 5 AU. This means that Sirius's habitable zone is much larger, giving potential planets more space to orbit around the star.

5. Could life exist in Sirius's habitable orbit?

It is possible for life to exist in Sirius's habitable orbit, as the conditions may be suitable for liquid water and a stable climate. However, this cannot be confirmed without further exploration and research. Additionally, the habitable orbit of Sirius is relatively far from Earth, making it challenging for us to study and observe any potential life forms in that region.

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