× Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask a question
Top Posters
Since Sunday
g
3
3
2
J
2
p
2
m
2
h
2
s
2
r
2
d
2
l
2
a
2
New Topic  
ppk ppk
wrote...
Valued Member
On Hiatus
Posts: 3561
12 years ago
The average speed of stars relative to the Sun in the solar neighborhood is about 20 km/s. Suppose you discover a star in the solar neighborhood that is moving relative to the Sun at a much higher speed, say, 200 km/s. What kind of orbit does this star probably have around the Milky Way? In what part of the galaxy does it spend most of its time? Explain.
Read 4816 times
1 Reply

Related Topics

Replies
wrote...
Valued Member
11 years ago
Since stars that are traveling along with us in the disk of the Milky Way move at a velocity relative to us of only about 20 km/sec, we would reason that a star observed to be moving relative to us at a velocity of 200 km/sec was not traveling with us in the disk but was part of some other component of the Milky Way, likely the halo. The orbits of halo stars are not concentrated in the flattened disk but are distributed more like a sphere. So a halo star flying through the disk would appear to us to have the rotational speed of the disk, 200 km/sec.
New Topic      
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers
  773 People Browsing
 119 Signed Up Today
Related Images
  
 249
  
 577
  
 606
Your Opinion
What's your favorite coffee beverage?
Votes: 274