Question

The nearest star to our solar system is 4.29 light years away. How much is this distance in terms of parsecs? How much parallax would this star (named Alpha Centauri) show when viewed from two locations of the Earth six months apart in its orbit around the Sun?

Answer 1

OK so I had done the first part but I am confused with the second one.

1.3333... pascal is the answer for 1st part.

@hartnn @Algebraic! @sauravshakya

Answer 2

@vishweshshrimali5

Answer 3

@hartnn any idea?

Answer 4

nopes,seen such question for the first time.

Answer 5

well I can remind you that it is "parallax method"

Answer 6

@mukushla may help you...

Answer 7

\[4.26ly=(3*10^8)(365.25*24*60*60)m=9.467*10^{15}m\]\[1psc=3.09*10^{16}m\]
\[4.26ly=\frac{9.467*10^{15}}{3.09*10^{16}}psc=0.306psc\]

Answer 8

\[\large{4.29 ly = 9.46*10^{15}m * 4.29 = 40.5834*10^{15} = 4 * 10^{16} m }\]
\[\large{4.29 ly = \frac{4*10^{16}}{3*10^{16}}=\frac{4}{3}=1.3333...}\]

Answer 9

\(\large{1ly = 9.46*10^{15}m}\)

Answer 10

@henpen You have done a mistake there, you forgot to multiply 4.29 there and you by fault wrote 4.26 ly ..

Answer 11

Oh yes- just multiply the end result by 4.26

Answer 12

*.29

Answer 13

so the answer is 1.33... ?

Answer 14

*1.33... pascal ?

Answer 15

parsecs

Answer 16

lol sorry forgot that but still m i correct with the solution given above?

Answer 17

Yes. As to the parallax, the earth sun distance *2 is 3*10^11 m, so just use trigonometry to work out the angle change

Answer 18

I tried that by applying the formula (parallax formula) : d = b / theta

but I was unable to complete it... to the correct answer

Can you show your work? or just answer you get so that I can check it with the correct answer... (I am not wanting a direct answer but here I want to check it so please provide your answer )

Answer 19

In short : what r u getting after doing that @henpen

Answer 20

Multiply by 2 for the change