[extropy-chat] Most star systems are single

[spike]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Amara Graps
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 1:22 PM
> To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> Subject: [extropy-chat] Most star systems are single
> 
> There was a news item on pg. 17 in the May 2006 Sky and Telescope,
> that blew me away when I read it.
> 
> Most star systems are single.
> 
> Charles Lada made this conclusion based on the Milky Way's most common
> stars: red dwarfs (spectral class M), which comprise about 85% of the
> total number of stars... Amara

If Lada is correct, it's the best news I have heard since 20 October 2005.
My unsophisticated BOTECs suggest that single stars would be more likely to
have their angular momentum being carried in orbiting planets and dust.
That is far more interesting than having the rocky stuff end up falling into
the star because of the influence of a companion.

Come to think of it, in any double system, not only is there less space for
stable orbits, the habitability of any possible planets would presumably be
reduced by variation of radiation from the two (or more) stars.  I would
think one steady star would be more friendly to evolution of life than two.

spike