What two stellar components make up the Sirius binary system orbiting a common center of mass?
Answer
Sirius A and Sirius B
The celestial object commonly referred to as Sirius is not a single star but is, in fact, a binary system composed of two distinct stellar companions locked in orbit around a shared barycenter. These two components are specifically named Sirius A, which is the dazzling primary star visible to the unaided eye, and Sirius B, its fainter, smaller companion. Observing this pairing requires specialized equipment to resolve the two stars.
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