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The real-life Tatooine

Planet with two suns discovered

The real-life Tatooine
15 September 2011

Wishing that Star Wars was real manages to be completely outlandish and totally rational, both at the same time.

So as you all watch the newly released Blu-ray saga for the sixth time this week, news emerges that we might be closer than we think.

NASA's Kepler spacecraft has detected a giant planet, catchily termed Kepler-16b, that orbits around two stars, meaning it enjoys a double sunset, as witnessed by Luke Skywalker on the planet of Tatooine.

Ignoring the fact that it's uninhabitable, due to it being made of gas, it's still a rather cool discovery as it turns a piece of science fiction into fact.

Sadly, the planet lies around 200 light years from earth, making it an awkward holiday destination.

You can find out more about the discovery here:

(Image: YouTube)