An important aspect of binary star systems,as distinct from single stars,is that they allow a
A) verification of the Doppler shift.
B) measurement of the overall shapes of stars.
C) measurement of the universal gravitational constant.
D) measurement of the masses of stars.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Binary star systems allow for the measurement of the masses of stars through observations of their gravitational interactions with each other. By measuring the period of their orbits and the distance between them, astronomers can use Kepler's laws of motion to calculate the masses of the stars.

An Important Aspect of Binary Star Systems,as Distinct from Single