Close binaries with planets

[PlutoDude1984]

I'm having trouble building a close binary star that contains planets.

Specifically, I'm trying to replicate the spectroscopic binary star Delta Trianguli, for which I made an add-on of in another space software community, and giving it planets.

At first I used the auto-orbits, but then I realized it was just making the two suns slingshotting each other away from the center of the system, and the planet shooting into deep space despite being far enough away to orbit both suns safely.

My next action was to calculate the numbers to put in the coordinates and velocity coordinates boxes, but ended up with the suns' semi-major axis cut in half and with the eccentricities too high.

Now I'm clueless as to what to do next.

How do I create stable planetary systems around close binaries in the program, or is that not available yet?

[Omnigeek6]

1. Create and position stars.
2. Select both stars at once.
3. Click "binary orbit" or similar button (can't remember name)
4. Click "make barycenter"
5. Create your planet.
6. Select both the planet and the barycenter
7. Click "make binary orbit".

[PlutoDude1984]

Thank you! Your help is appreciated

[karakris]

Thanks Omni - I saved these "Instructions".

I have got to do one of these sometime soon.

Kappa System  - in my Krissyverse.

[Dan Dixon]

I hope to make binary orbits easier and more obvious in the future.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how these steps could be simplified or improved?

[spaceranger]

Perhaps some binary tutorials (and, dare I say, a trinary tutorial!) in the stock set would be low hanging fruit? That wouldn't require additional features, per se.

Stepping up the fancy factor, I suppose you could allow a user to select multiple stars and click a binary/trinary/etc. button. Not sure how feasible that is. Such a feature would benefit from calculating the gravitational influence of non-star masses in the system, such as gas giants, yes?

Cheers

[karakris]

Just TWO Problems here

1) - Being able to set Orbital Planes at selectable angles to a "reference plane".

2) - Being able to create TINY Dwarf Stars - the "Dragon" System has two White Dwarves, each at 0.2 x Earth Mass.

The Mu - "Dragon" System - I need to do.

The problem is, that lke some Real Systems - they are not all orbiting in the same plane.
This does not seem to be allowed for in Uni Sand at all !!

This has a very close Binary pair ( tidal locked )
With a third Star orbiting around them, closely - but at 15 degrees to their orbit.

Finally - there are two very small White Dwarfs rotating around them - BUT
One mini White Dwarf is at 75 degrees to the orbit of the centre pair, the other outside is at 30 degrees to the orbit of the centre pair.
Here - we have problems with orbital inclination.
AND - Uni Sand will not allow Tiny White Dwarves - like these at 0.2 x Earth Mass.

Planets are at  normal orbital to the centre pair of Stars - but there are also Asteroid Belts.
The Seventh Planet orbits at 30 degrees to the rest of the Planets.

[karakris]

Re: The "Dragon System" ( Mu System )

It is intended that there is some gas being drawn from the inner pair of Stars by the outer third Star, and as the  two tiny White Drarves cross - they both draw gas briefly from this gas trail.

This will cause a very brief "explosion" or flash - as the gas trail briefly ignites ( in a Nuclear sense ) - giving the famous "Dragon Flash" once every two days approximately, involving superheated hydrogen form the middle Stars, and superheated helium from the two Dwarves.  The Hydrogen trails also help to keep the tiny White Dwarf Stars from running out of material.

[Dan Dixon]

Thanks for your comments karakris.

These are good points. And being able to set the orbital plane is on the list.