Exoplanet in a triple star system may orbit all three at once

Artist's impression of a planet within a triple star system. Photo by Granger/Shutterstock
Astronomers have discovered that most planets orbit one star, while a few others orbit two stars. We have yet to find an exoplanet orbiting three stars at once. Researchers have now spotted signs of a young planet with three host stars.

These hints are from a stellar system called GW Orionis. It consists of two stars orbiting each other at approximately the same distance as Earth from the sun and a third circling the two around eight times.