93.7k views
5 votes
Which bright star (lowercase letters) in question 71 is Algol, the "demon star"?

a. b
b. a
c. e
d. c
e. d

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

Algol, known as the 'demon star' in the constellation Perseus, is an eclipsing binary system whose brightness changes regularly as one star passes in front of the other.

Step-by-step explanation:

Algol, also known as Beta Persei, is a famous star located in the constellation of Perseus. Known as the 'demon star', Algol is a bright star that exhibits changes in its brightness due to it being an eclipsing binary system. This means that Algol is not a single star, but a pair of stars that orbit a common center of mass, and as one star passes in front of the other, it causes the brightness we observe to decrease periodically. Algol's brightness fades to one-third its regular brightness at regular intervals of approximately 2 days, 20 hours, 49 minutes. This phenomenon is interpreted as the dimmer star of the pairing eclipsing the brighter one, causing the apparent fluctuation in brightness.

User Alexandre Santos
by
8.1k points

Related questions

asked Dec 19, 2024 126k views
Andarin asked Dec 19, 2024
by Andarin
7.9k points
1 answer
2 votes
126k views