Space Facts

Kepler-16 (AB) b
A Real Live Tatooine-Like
Planet Found

Earthdate: 2011:0915

A real live Tatooine-like planet found in the Kepler-16 star system. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The planet likely isn't habitable like the Star Wars desert destination, but it certainly has two suns. And what a lovely sunset that must be like. The planet, Kepler-16 (AB) b, was found by the transit method. The system stands about 200 light years (61 pc) away. The planet is about 7 times the mass of Uranus, or about 106 times the mass of Earth.

System Parameters:
Name: Kepler-16 (AB)
Apparent Magnitude: 12
Binary Period: 41.079 days
Semi-major Axis: 0.224 AU
Eccentricity: 0.15944

Star A:
Mass: 0.6897 ☉
Radius: 0.6489 ☉
Fe/H: -0.3 ± 0.2

Star B:
Mass: 0.20255 ☉
Radius: 0.22623 ☉

Planet:
Discovered: 2011
Mass: 0.333 M_J
Semi-major Axis: 0.7048 AU
Orbital Period: 228.776 days
Eccentricity: 0.0069
Inclination: 90.0322 degrees

References:
http://www.space.com/12963-tatooine-planet-2-suns-star-wars-kepler-16b.html
http://exoplanet.eu/star.php?st=Kepler-16+%28AB%29