Planet Found Orbiting Four Stars

[JacobT11]

Astronomers have found a planet whose skies are illuminated by four different suns - the first known of its type.

The distant world orbits one pair of stars and has a second stellar pair revolving around it.

The discovery was made by volunteers using the Planethunters.org website along with a team from UK and US institutes; follow-up observations were made with the Keck Observatory.

The planet, located just under 5,000 light-years away, has been named PH1 after the Planet Hunters site.

-BBC

Is it so bad that the first thing I thought when I saw this was "Damn, that'd be fun in KSP." What a discovery huh? Can't imagine how the orbital mechanics must work, four stars relatively close together, with a planet in a stable orbit. Binary systems are bad enough to get my head around.

[mustwinfull]

A planet orbiting four stars? I would like to see its orbit path around the stars and see how interesting it looks.

Also, I don't know what SQUAD are going to do with the planets, they might do something like this, they might not.

[Tauge]

I can work out in my head an orbital path that works right for 2, and I think I can image one for three...but adding that fourth...The math...it's...evil...

[bsalis]

That would make for an interesting calendar.

[Tommygun]

I'm assuming it must be a gas giant as something smaller would get thrown out into space?

Edit: Yes it is a gas giant, but I'm surprised it is only six times larger than Earth.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Tommygun

[Vindicator]

they found it! [ATTACH=CONFIG]34883[/ATTACH] (I know nameku has 3 suns but still)