Thanks BenLurkin.
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Posted on 08/22/2013 8:01:58 AM PDT by BenLurkin
A simple, yet elegant method of measuring the surface gravity of a star has just been discovered. These computations are important because they reveal stellar physical properties and evolutionary state – and that’s not all. The technique works equally well for estimating the size of hundreds of exoplanets. Developed by a team of astronomers and headed by Vanderbilt Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Keivan Stassun, this new technique measures a star’s “flicker”.
With an uncertainty ranging from 50 percent to 200 percent, astronomers have been eager to seize on a new way of measuring a star’s surface gravity which will level the playing field. By obtaining improved figures for a wide variety of stars at varied distances, this new method might be able to cut the uncertainty figure in half.
“Once you know a star’s surface gravity then you only need one other measurement, its temperature, which is pretty easy to obtain, to determine its mass, size and other important physical properties,” said Stassun.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
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I read this a couple of days ago. I’m thinking that it is a pretty significant breakthrough. An easier and more accurate method for determining stellar gravity.
Fascinating, thanks.
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