Could some planets orbit two distant stars in a figure eight pattern?

Question

and could some forming planets have been slingshoted out of there solar systems once they gained more mass and speed? kinda looking for a new home?

Answer 1

No, I don't think this is possible. Figure-8 solutions for the three body problem do exist but none of them involve the planet moving in between the binary stars and then away from them, ie. if you fix the coordinates so that the stars are at points (+/-1, 0) constantly (so the coordinates rotate with the binary orbital period), I don't think it's possible to have an orbit where the planet traces out a figure of eight.

I didn't think this was possible but might be wrong, I just think, aside from the planet's effect on the binary system, the coriolis forces on the planet would throw it off. But I could be wrong about this reasoning.

Answer 2

i think that ny plametary motion is due to gravitational impact by a star with considerably large mass as that of planet.

so whatever far may  the planet orbit from its parent star its orbit is under influence by its parent star.

If  by virtue of its closer proximity to  come in the gravitational range of other nearby star then i suppose its orbit may deviate a little bit but what is going to cause according to  you that the planet will orbit in a 8 letter shape is beyond my  current knowledge level.

but since i learn in my gravitation unit i am confident enough to say that such orbit is impossible  to happen in reality.

Answer 3

I do not see why not but would have to be perfect.

Answer 4

A figure 8 orbit is theoretically possible, but it is unstable.  If anything happened to move the centre point just a tiny bit (like the tidal effect of a distant passing star), then the crossing point would move further and further away until eventually one "round" of the figure 8 took the planet too close to one of the stars.

Another possibility (also unstable) is the perpendicular orbit, where the planet orbits the central point in a plane that is perpendicular to the line joining the two stars.

Planets in "regular" planetary systems can be ejected.  Usually, the largest planet in the system will disrupt the orbits of the others.

Answer 5

You had better ask a Physics professor. Even though it is possible, its orbit(s) would probably be rather unstable and any such planet would probably be ejected from the system.