Sirius A and Sirius B from the Hubble Telescope — Source: ESA/Hubble

Sirius A in Canis Major constellation — Source: NoirLab

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The Sirius Stars

Check your knowledge about the Sirius Stars.

1 / 7

What is the distance of the Sirius stars from the Sun?

About 2.5 light-years or 23.7 trillion kilometers

About 8.6 light-years or 81.4 trillion kilometers

About 11.3 light-years or 106.9 trillion kilometers

About 4.7 light-years or 44.5 trillion kilometers

About 7.8 light-years or 73.8 trillion kilometers

2 / 7

How strong is the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun compared with the gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth?

The gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth is about 350,000 times stronger than the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun.

The gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth is about 150,000 times stronger than the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun.

The gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth is about 10,000 times stronger than the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun.

The gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth is about 350,000 times weaker than the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun.

The gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth is about 150,000 times weaker than the gravitational pull between the Sirius stars and the Sun.

3 / 7

How bright is Sirius A compared with the Sun?

About 24 times brighter than the Sun

About 17 times brighter than the Sun

About 3 times less bright than the Sun

About 104 times brighter than the Sun

About 7 times less bright than the Sun

4 / 7

In which galaxy are the Sirius stars?

Andromeda

Milky Way

Black Eye

Cartwheel

Triangulum

5 / 7

In which constellation are the Sirius stars?

Canis Major or Great Dog

Andromeda

Cygnus

Ursa Major or Great Bear

Orion

6 / 7

What is the best time to see Sirius A from Earth?

Northern hemisphere: January to April | Southern hemisphere: December to May

Northern hemisphere: November to April | Southern hemisphere: December to May

Northern hemisphere: November to January | Southern hemisphere: February to May

Northern hemisphere: November to June | Southern hemisphere: December to May

Northern hemisphere: November to April | Southern hemisphere: December to July

7 / 7

Sirius A and Sirius B are called binary stars because they orbit around a common center. Why don't they collide into each other?

Because this would wipe out the solar system

Because this would turn into a brighter star

Because inertia of each star balances the gravitational pull between the stars

Because Sirius B is not big enough

Because Sirius A is too big

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References

[1] Wikipedia. Sirius. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius

[2] Britannica. Sirius. URL: https://www.britannica.com/place/Sirius-star

[3] NASA / ESA Hubble. Sirius (ground-based image). URL: https://esahubble.org/images/heic0516e/

[4] Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. The Angular Diameter and Fundamental Parameters of Sirius A. URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/publications-of-the-astronomical-society-of-australia/article/angular-diameter-and-fundamental-parameters-of-sirius-a/701CF9E435ADDD2356ED00702B18E84A

[5] Space.com. What are binary stars? URL: https://www.space.com/22509-binary-stars.html

[6] Britannica. Circular orbits. URL: https://www.britannica.com/science/mechanics/Circular-orbits

[7] Britannica. Gravity. URL: https://www.britannica.com/science/gravity-physics

[8] Space.com. Sirius: the brightest star in Earth’s night sky. URL: https://www.space.com/21702-sirius-brightest-star.html