Question

5) Study the following image: Sirius B 1990 1980 Sirius A 1970 1960 1950 1940 West 1930 North 1920 1910 a. This image represents that paths of Sirius A and B as they orbit around the galaxy. If this were a single star, what b. Describe how this image shows two stars orbiting around c. Would you expect the path of the Earth and Moon around would you expect the path to look like? one another as they move through the galaxy. the Sun to look the same or different? Why or why not?

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Answer 1

a) If this were a single star, then the path would be a straight line i.e the path of the center of mass of two-star system b) The Sirius A and B is a binary star system. * Sirius B traces an elliptical orbit around the center of mass of the system and about Sirius A and the orbits is nearly orthogonal to the of sight from the earth. * The time period is about 50 years (note that the orbit repeats after 50 years) c) The earth and moon system is not a binary system and so the path would be different * This is because the barycenter of the earth moon system lies inside the Earth, and in order to be a binary system the barycenter should lie outside the Earth.