How is the distance between two stars measured?

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How is the distance between two stars measured?

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Answer 1 · 2017-01-26T12:29:06

$S_1S_2=sqrt(d_1^2+d_2^2-2 xx d_1 xx d_2 xx cos angle S_1ES_2)$ , where $d_1 and d_2$ are distances of stars $S_1 and S_2$ , from Earth E and $angle S_1 ES_2$ is the angular spacing.

Explanation:

The distance SE of a star S from the Earth E is obtained in AU units

from parallax angle $alpha$ radian as

$ES = 1/alpha$ AU, nearly.

In light years (ly), this is

ES = 1/(63242 alpha) ly, nearly.

Observed from E,

If the angular spacing between the two stars $S_1 and S_2$ is

$angle S_1ES_2$ , then the distance between the two stars at

distances $d_1=ES_1 and d_2=ES_2$ is

$S_1S_2$

$=sqrt(d_1^2+d_2^2-2 xx d_1 xx d_2 xx cos angle S_1ES_2)$

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How is the distance between two stars measured?

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