Estimating Stellar Masses
Recall Kepler’s 3rd Law:
Py2 = aAU3
Valid for the solar
system: star with 1 solar mass in the center.
We find almost the same
law for binary stars with masses MA and MB different from 1 solar mass:
MA + MB =
aAU3
____
Py2
(MA and MB in units of solar masses)
