When did NASA confirm the existence of Kepler-16b orbiting two stars?
NASA confirmed the existence of Kepler-16b in 2011. This discovery validated decades of speculation that planets could form around binary star systems like Tatooine in Star Wars.
Questions about Physics and Star Wars
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How do Star Wars blasters function differently than real lasers according to official canon sources?
Star Wars blasters operate as particle beams rather than pure light streams. This distinction explains why characters can dodge bolts traveling at moderate speeds instead of instantly hitting targets at light speed.
Why do audiences hear engine roars and explosions in space despite physical impossibility?
Audiences hear these sounds because films explain the discrepancy through sensor systems inside cockpits and bridges. These multimodal interfaces create three-dimensional audio matching external vessel movements for crew members.
What happens to debris from the second Death Star following Return of the Jedi events on Endor?
Debris raining down would burn up in the atmosphere creating toxic soot and firestorms. Erik Asphaug argued that large chunks would hit the surface forming craters four times larger than Mexico's Chicxulub crater.
How many joules are required for one minute operation of a lightsaber blade?
One minute operation requires 10^25 joules equivalent to ten times solar output per second. Nuclear fusion fuel needed totals 10^11 kilograms fitting ten Great Pyramids inside the hilt.