Binary Star Systems

How are stars arranged in space? Unlike the Sun, some stars orbit other stars in what are known as binary star systems. The stars within binary star systems have the same basic orbit. In this topic, you will investigate the three different ways in which binary star systems are observed from Earth. Star systems can contain more than two stars orbiting each other. You will study the types of star clusters present in space. These clusters can contain thousands of stars.

Essential Questions

• What are the different types of binary star systems?
• What is the difference between a globular cluster and an open cluster of stars?