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Worldbuilding

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    $\begingroup$ This is a high-fantasy setting, not a science-fiction setting. "The gods have a sense of humor" is a perfectly acceptable reason for a planet to have a bizarre orbit. $\endgroup$
    – Mark
    Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 0:25
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    $\begingroup$ @mark NOPE. Op specifies "science-based" as requirement. $\endgroup$
    – user79911
    Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 8:35
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    $\begingroup$ @MarvinKitfox I think me specifying that (paraphrasing) "the only part I want to make sense physically is the seasons and temperatures, while the actual feasibility of the orbit can be taken for granted" is a valid use of the science-based tag $\endgroup$
    – Hankrecords
    Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 12:06
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    $\begingroup$ @Sherwood Botsford while your idea of putting the planet on a circular orbit around a small star while that star in turn orbits a bigger star is an interesting one, I did specify in my question that I wasn't interested in making the orbit itself science-based and reasonable, but rather to start from a system with that orbit in place and from that work out what the seasons on the planet would sensibly be like $\endgroup$
    – Hankrecords
    Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 12:10
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    $\begingroup$ The orbit you've described is the basis for Brian Aldiss' Helliconia series, where each of the larger seasons lasts for centuries based on the orbit of the larger star, and "normal" length sub-seasons on the smaller star's orbit. $\endgroup$
    – Darrel Hoffman
    Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 14:47