Astronomical observations of our Milky Way galaxy indicate that it has a mass of about 8.0 × 1011 solar masses. A star orbiting on the galaxy’s periphery is about 6.0 × 104 light-years from its center. (a) What should the orbital period of that star be? (b) If its period is 6.0 × 107 years instead, what is the mass of the galaxy? Such calculations are used to imply the existence of other matter, such as a very massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

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Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
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Astronomical observations of our Milky Way galaxy indicate that it has a mass of about 8.0 × 1011 solar masses. A star orbiting on the galaxy’s periphery is about 6.0 × 104 light-years from its center. (a) What should the orbital period of that star be? (b) If its period is 6.0 × 107 years instead, what is the mass of the galaxy? Such calculations are used to imply the existence of other matter, such as a very massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

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