Key facts
- A real three-star system has been discovered by Chinese astronomers.
- The system is located approximately 7,000 light-years from Earth.
- The system consists of two dead stars and one living star.
- The discovery was made using the FAST radio telescope.
Chinese astronomers have identified a real three-star system, which they say is far more stable than the fictional world depicted in Liu Cixin's science fiction novel, The Three-Body Problem. The discovery was made using the FAST, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, located in southwestern China. The system, situated approximately 7,000 light-years from Earth, comprises two dead stars and one active star engaged in a steady cosmic orbit. In contrast, Liu Cixin's novel features three suns with comparable masses and spacing, creating a chaotic environment with unpredictable planetary orbits and alternating stable and chaotic eras.