Question

What is double star system SS Leporis?

A) SS Leporis is a triple star system, consisting of three stars in close proximity.
B) SS Leporis is a binary star system, with two stars orbiting around a common center of mass.
C) SS Leporis is a single star, not part of a multiple star system.
D) SS Leporis is a star cluster, comprising multiple stars that are gravitationally bound.

Answer 1

SS Leporis is a binary star system (option B), with two stars orbiting a common center of mass, analogous to a balanced seesaw.

Step-by-step explanation:

SS Leporis is a binary star system, where two stars orbit around a common center of mass, making option B the correct answer. In a binary star system, the star with higher mass will be found closer to the center of mass, while the star with lower mass will be farther from it.

This arrangement is comparable to how different masses would be placed on a seesaw to keep it level. Some well-known binary systems include Sirius and Mizar, though Mizar is actually part of a more complex multiple star system.

Understanding these systems allows astronomers to measure stellar characteristics that are difficult to discern in solitary stars like our Sun.