Suns set on hunt for giant planets in nearby binary system

New research led by the University of Michigan is helping set the stage for future observatories to characterize rocky planets outside our solar system, planets that could prove life isn't confined to Earth.

The new research represents the most sensitive modern search for giant planets in a nearby binary system—a system with two stars orbiting each other—known as 70 Ophiuchi AB, or 70 Oph AB. That search, however, didn't discover any large planets. In fact, it did the opposite: With some important caveats, it ruled out planets with the mass of Jupiter and larger.

Although that may sound like a letdown, the null result is noteworthy for a few reasons. For one, there is the record-setting sensitivity the team achieved for the system. Furthermore, despite that sensitivity, the researchers' work, supported in part by NASA, wasn't designed for smaller planets.