How is trigonometric parallax used by astronomers to measure the distance to nearby stars?
Answer
Measuring the apparent shift against distant objects as Earth orbits the Sun
Trigonometric parallax is a direct geometric technique used to calculate the distances to relatively nearby stars. This method works by observing a star at two different points in time, corresponding to opposite sides of Earth's orbit around the Sun. This baseline movement causes the nearby star to appear to shift slightly in position relative to more distant, fixed background objects. This apparent shift, measured in angular units, allows astronomers to calculate the distance directly using triangulation. However, it is critical to note that the precision of this measurement rapidly decreases as the distance to the star increases.
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