Scientists discover giant new planet orbiting two suns

June 14, 2016 01:54

Astronomers have discovered the largest planet outside our solar system orbiting two stars, at a distance that would make it potentially habitable for

people, scientists announced today.

A team of NASA astronomers that made the discovery using the Kepler space telescope revealed the findings at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in San Diego, California.

The gaseous planet -- dubbed Kepler-1647 b -- is the size of Jupiter and has a wide orbit, revolving around its two stars in 1,107 days, or around three years.

The discovery is the eleventh of its kind since 2005.

Planets that orbit two stars -- known as circumbinary planets -- are sometimes called "Tatooines," after the similar fictional planet in the movie Star Wars where Luke Skywalker was raised.

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