Intro Binary stars consist of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. Majority of the visible stars in the sky are binary star systems. For instance, Algol, Alpha Centauri, Sirius and Antares are binary star systems. Furthermore, the Eclipsing Binary Simulator gives individuals a visual model of how the binary stars orbit. The Eclipsing Binary Simulator also demonstrates the properties of the stars and the system orientation. Therefore, the Eclipsing Binary Simulator will allow individuals to gain a full understanding of the binary star systems.
Procedure In the first activity, I understood the purpose of the inclination and longitude controls. The purpose of the inclination control is to show the binary stars from different angles, such as looking directly down or from the side of the orbital plane. Also, the purpose of the longitude control is for the orbital plane to rotate. As a result, I noticed if the inclination was 50 degrees, then the orbital plane would be
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I also used the H-R diagram to describe the position of the stars. For instance, as I changed the temperature of the star, I realized star 1 moves closer to star 2 as the temperature decreased. In addition, I understood how the star's mass effects the system period. For example, as the mass decreases, the system period increases. In the third activity, I changed the radius of both stars and the remaining properties of the stars stayed constant. I also described the light curve as the smaller star began to touch the larger star. The light curve decreased on the y-axis and becomes a partial eclipse. Moreover, I explained why the two dips on the light curve was equal. Since, the temperature of star 1 and star 2 have the same temperature, the two dips on the light curve will be equal. As a result, I realized when the radius of the stars change, the distance of the stars also