My Two Suns Trivia Quiz

Answer: Binary stars orbit a common center of gravity

Binary stars are stars that orbit around a common center of gravity, known as a barycenter. The location of the barycenter is determined by the mass of both companions. A small, but dense white dwarf star may have a stronger gravitational influence than a red giant star.

Answer: Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri is considered a binary star system. Alpha Centauri A is a G-type star and Alpha Centauri B is a K-type. There are scientists that believe that Proxima Centauri, our nearest known stellar neighbor, may also be linked to Alpha Centauri making it into a possible ternary star system.

However, this theory has yet to be proven at the time of writing. Several planets have been discovered orbiting the binary stars of Alpha Centauri.

Answer: Sirius A is a main-sequence star and Sirius B is a white dwarf

Sirius (aka Dog Star), is part of the Canis Major constellation. It is one of the brightest stars in our night sky. Sirius is actually a binary star system. Sirius A is an A-type main sequence star, twice as massive as the Sun. Sirius B is a white dwarf and is near the end of its stellar life cycle.

Answer: Cygnus X-1 may be a black hole

Cygnus X-1 was discovered in 1964 and scientists have theorized that it may be a black hole. Cygnus X-1 and its companion are considered a high mass X-ray binary. Cygnus X-1's companion star is an O-type blue supergiant designated HDE 226868.

Answer: Tatooine

Tatooine is the fictional home planet of Luke Skywalker from "Star Wars". In the film, the planet is depicted as orbiting binary stars. A number of planets have been discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope orbiting binary stars and news releases describe them as being "Tatooine-like" planets.

Answer: Canis Minor

Procyon is designated as Alpha Canis Minoris and is a binary star system. Procyon A is an F-type main sequence star, while Procyon B is a white dwarf. The name Procyon is of Greek origin and means "before the dog".

Answer: It is designated as Alpha Persei

Algol is designated as Beta Persei. It is a ternary star system, meaning Algol is actually three stars. Two of the stars are eclipsing binaries. From Earth's point of view the two stars pass in front of one another at regular intervals. Algol's nickname as the Demon Star comes from the English translation of its name, which means ogre in Arabic.

Answer: Antares

Antares is part of the Scorpius constellation and is designated as Alpha Scorpii. It is a binary star system. One of the stars is a M-type red giant star, while the other is a B-type.

Answer: Nemesis

Nemesis is the name scientists have given to the Sun's hypothetical binary companion. In 1984, there was discussion of a possible red dwarf or brown dwarf star, located beyond the Oort Cloud, that may have caused mass extinctions on Earth. As of 2016, there has been no evidence supporting the existence of Nemesis.

Answer: Sir William Herschel

In 1802, Sir William Herschel was the first scientist to use the term binary star. While the scientific community knew of double stars prior to this, it was Herschel who figured out that these double stars were linked in their orbits.