A circumtriple planet is a celestial mass that is hypothesized to be orbiting not only a single star but three stars at the same time.[1] Scientists observing the star system GW Ori, which is a huge disk of dust and gases about 1,300 light years away from Earth, suspect that there may be a circumtriple planet orbiting the three stars.[2] They observed a gap in the vast dust cloud and they hypothesize that there may be a planet in this gap.[2] The planet itself has not been seen but its influence may explain gravitational oddities within the star system.[3] If so, this may be the first known example of a circumtriple planet in the universe.[4]
By using computer modeling, some scientists believe that a Jupiter-sized planet may be able to explain the star system's rings and strange behavior, according to one account.[4] If a circumtriple planet exists, it will be an extremely rare phenomenon in the universe.[4] It could add to human understanding of how planets form.[3]
A circumtriple planet is prominently featured in the Remembrance of Earth's Past book series. In the series, the planet of Trisolaris orbits a three-star system, and the chaotic nature of the system drives the native species of the planet to seek refuge on Earth, which has a comparatively more "stable" one-star system.[5]