Surface gravity of stars can reveal possibility of life on orbiting planets
Q. Distant stars with planets orbiting them can harbour life, according to scientists who have discovered a way to measure _________ at surface of distant stars.- Published on 04 Jan 16a. Pull of gravity
b. Push of gravity
c. Weight of stars
d. Mass of stars
ANSWER: Pull of gravity
To assess if distant stars with planets orbiting them can harbour life, an international team of astronomers have discovered a new method to measure pull of gravity at the surface of distant stars. New method allows scientists to measure surface gravity with accuracy of 4%. Understanding the surface gravity of the star is an important determinant of how much you would weigh on the star. Surface gravity depends on the mass and radius of the star and this technique will also enable astronomers to better gauge the mass and sizes of distant stars. The new technique called autocorrelation function timescale technique or timescale technique uses subtle variations in brightness of distant stars recorded by satellites like Kepler and MOST.
