In: Physics
A star near the visible edge of a galaxy travels in a uniform circular orbit. It is 48,400 ly (light-years) from the galactic center and has a speed of 275 km/s.
a) Estimate the total mass of the galaxy (billion solar mass) based on the motion of the star. Gravitational constant is 6.674×10−11 m3/(kg·s2) and mass of the Sun Ms=1.99 × 1030 kg.
b) The total visible mass (i.e., matter we can detect via electromagnetic radiation) of the galaxy is 1011 solar masses. What fraction of the total mass of the galaxy is visible, according to this estimate?