34th Annual Student Research Conference
An Analysis of Binary Star Systems in the World of Astronomy
Jack P. McKenzie
Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale, Faculty Mentor
Eclipsing binary stars are stellar systems in which two stars orbit around their common center of mass, which periodically block each other’s view along our line of sight. Photometric and spectroscopic observations of any given eclipsing binary system yields their mass and radii. Since the mass and radii of a single star is so hard to determine, these systems form the basis of our understanding of stellar evolution itself, and have been called the “royal road” of stellar astrophysics because of this rich information that they yield. In this presentation, the development in the understanding of eclipsing binary systems and the knowledge they have uncovered will be reviewed. The newly launched Transiting Exoplanet Surveying Satellite (TESS) is providing new data on binary systems, which prompts a heightened interest in astronomers. How astronomers use this data to extend our understanding of stellar physics will be explained in this paper.
Keywords: Eclipsing Binary Stars, Stellar evolution, TESS
Topic(s):Physics
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 17-5
Location: https://flipgrid.com/db94b0d7
Time: 0:00