If Kapteyn's star has a parallax angle of 0.255 arcsec, a proper motion of 8.67 arcsecs per year and a radial velocity of +246 km/s, What is the star's tangential velocity?

1 Answer
1s2s2p
Feb 1, 2018

v_t=183.0dot(3)kmvt=183.0.3km s^(-1)s−1

Explanation:

v_tvt is given by the formula: v_t=(4.75mu)/pvt=4.75μp, where:

  • muμ = proper motion (arc seconds per year)
  • pp = parallax (arc seconds)

v_t=(4.75*8.67)/0.225=183.0333...=183.0dot(3)km s^(-1)

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