Astronomers take a second look at twin star systems

Apples-to-apples comparisons in the distant universe are hard to come by. Whether the subject is dwarf galaxies, supermassive black holes, or 'hot Jupiters,' astronomers can spend months or years searching for comparable objects and formations to study. And it is rarer still when those objects are side-by-side. But a new study offers a road map for finding 'twin' planetary systems -- showing whether binary stars that orbit each other, and that were born at the same time and place, tend to host similar orbiting planets. The study's authors found that certain orientations of twin star systems may provide critical information about planet formation, while also being easier for astronomers to discover planets within the systems.