Why was John Knoll at a NASA press conference? Because the space agency has discovered a real-life Tatooine: A planet that orbits two stars at once. The New York Times writes:
The official name of the new planet is Kepler 16b, but astronomers are already referring to it informally as Tatooine, after the home planet of Luke and Anakin Skywalker in the George Lucas “Star Wars” movies, which also had two suns. Indeed, a representative from Mr. Lucas’s production company, Lucasfilm, expected to participate in a news conference at NASA’s Ames Research Laboratory in California, Kepler’s home office.
So, not a moon. Or a space station. I’m so relieved.
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5 responses so far ↓
1 Nanci // Sep 15, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Let’s just make sure that all blond-haired boys from that planet grow up to be Jedi instead of Sith Lords.
2 JennB // Sep 15, 2011 at 4:14 pm
You know everytime NASA says Tatooine, George Lucas receives a check. Government conspiracy people get ready to think up a new one.
3 jawajames // Sep 15, 2011 at 4:55 pm
if there’s a bright center to the universe, we’ve now discovered the planet that it’s farthest from!
4 Shelba // Sep 16, 2011 at 2:24 am
Finally, a market for SPF 5 million.
5 Kizzik // Sep 16, 2011 at 7:54 am
Watch out for sarlacc pits.
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