<p>Say there's a young s-type binary star system with 2 Sun-like stars. From what I understand for a stable orbit to be possible, a planet's farthest orbital point from its host star has to be around 1/5 or less of the total distance to the companion star (source: <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitability_of_binary_star_systems" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia</a>), but I'm unsure if this works for a gas giant.</p>

<p>The gases it would use to form would feel some effect, right? What's the closet the companion star could be to the host star while still allowing for a gas giant to form and have a stable orbit?</p>

<p>Make any assumptions you have to for this question and thanks for any input.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-13T07:07:23.443Z
Please give references for the 1/5 number.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-13T08:10:04.447Z
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitability_of_binary_star_systems it's under the S-type information. Im not sure if I'm just misunderstanding, but either way sorry for not posting my source.
Xanax87
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-13T12:47:03.137Z
That's why I said to make any assumptions to make the main question work. Assume perfect conditions all around, just looking for the closest orbits the stars could have while forming a gas giant with a stable orbit, if possible.
Xanax87
<solar-system><binary-star><planetary-formation>
Binary stars and gas giant formation
Xanax87
# Binary stars and gas giant formation

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-13)

Say there's a young s-type binary star system with 2 Sun-like stars. From what I understand for a stable orbit to be possible, a planet's farthest orbital point from its host star has to be around 1/5 or less of the total distance to the companion star (source: [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitability_of_binary_star_systems)), but I'm unsure if this works for a gas giant.

The gases it would use to form would feel some effect, right? What's the closet the companion star could be to the host star while still allowing for a gas giant to form and have a stable orbit?

Make any assumptions you have to for this question and thanks for any input.

**Tags:** solar-system, binary-star, planetary-formation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Please give references for the 1/5 number.  
> **username_0**: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitability_of_binary_star_systems it's under the S-type information. Im not sure if I'm just misunderstanding, but either way sorry for not posting my source.  
> **username_0**: That's why I said to make any assumptions to make the main question work. Assume perfect conditions all around, just looking for the closest orbits the stars could have while forming a gas giant with a stable orbit, if possible.  

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## 0 answers

