I'm trying to build a world where an earth-like planet is tidal locked to a sun in a three star system, where the other two would orbit each other in the center (being the central mass of the system). Is it possible? What is the perfect star scenario to life exist in the planet? Would the two stars in the center have a Sunrise/Sunset effect in this planet? Would there be a way to control time passing through those two suns (like they appearing in the scenery in an year time lapsing, or something like this). Thank you!
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$\begingroup$ Well they couldnt orbit close to each other. For why google "Three Body Problem". If they are close together eventually one star is either going to be ejected or collide with another. From the data we have, you can have two stars orbit each other and a 3rd orbiting the pair at some distance. Prosumably you could have all three stars orbit close ish so that they are always in the center. $\endgroup$– ErikHallJun 27 at 20:39
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$\begingroup$ Not really clear where the stars are and masses, Start from largest mass. eg start A is 6 M_sun star B is 2 M_sun and 5 AU away from A they have a circular orbit. star C of .9 M_sun is 100 to 110 AU away from A,B. in a slightly elliptical orbit, Planet in question is orbiting star C at 1AU distance and is 1 M_earth. Makes it much easier to determine what conditions the planet would experience to know those basic numbers. $\endgroup$– Gault DrakkorJun 27 at 21:08
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2$\begingroup$ The question should be asking only one clear question so that it is easier to determine what answers are better, The current question body has multiple questions, please edit the question body to have only one question $\endgroup$– Gault DrakkorJun 27 at 21:12
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2 Answers
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It is possible for three stars to orbit roughly as you suggest and examples are known: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EZ_Aquarii
You have not provided a detailed description of the system so it is hard to answer specifically. However any calculation to find stable orbits involving three bodies should be based on the Hill Sphere approximation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_sphere
The sun rise and sun set pattern is dependent on many factors such as the orbital radius of all of the stars and the planet, the inclination of the planets axis, the orbital eccentricity and inclination of the orbits relative to each other.
Assuming all orbits are circular, in the same plane and with zero inclination and viewing from the “far side” of the tidally locked world the twin central suns should rise and pass across the sky relatively close to each other before setting. The next day the process repeats although the relative positions of the twin suns will change (probably slowly relative to the planets rotation) at some points in the “year” both of the twin stars will eclipse the other.
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If you want to have two stars orbiting each other in the center, the combined mass must be equal to the mass of the third. Your planet would orbit the largest star. The two other stars would be avble to provide a daylight circle to the "outside" of your planet with the length of the day beeing the time it takes to revolve around its sun.. Life would evolve at all it would do so on the side opposite to the star the planet is tidally locked to, due to the heat on the other side.
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$\begingroup$ "If you want to have two stars orbiting each other in the center, the combined mass must be equal to the mass of the third" I don't think that this is correct. $\endgroup$– SlartyJun 29 at 18:30