One of the most massive binary star systems

Reference no: EM133588511

One of the most massive binary star systems known is called WR-20a and is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (a small companion galaxy to the Milky Way). This system is nearly edge on, and the stars are moving in (nearly) circular orbits with observed speeds of 362.2 km s-1 and 366.4 km s-1 in an orbital period of just 3.686 days

Hint: assume it is exactly edge-on for parts an and b.

a. Calculate the masses of these two stars.

b. What is the distance between the two stars?

c. More recent results have shown that we do not see the orbit exactly edge on. Would that fact increase, decrease, or not change your results for the masses and orbital separation? Explain why?

Reference no: EM133588511

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