The star Wolf 1061 has a parallax of 2.34 arc seconds, while the star Ross 652 has a parallax of 1.70 arc seconds. What can you correctly conclude?
A) Ross 652 must have a larger proper motion than Wolf 1061.
B) Wolf 1061 must have a larger proper motion than Ross 652.
C) Both stars are outside the Milky Way galaxy.
D) Wolf 1061 is closer to Earth than Ross 652.
E) Ross 652 is closer to Earth than Wolf 1061.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The parallax angle is inversely related to the distance of a star from Earth; a larger parallax means the star is closer. Since Wolf 1061 has a larger parallax (2.34 arc seconds) than Ross 652 (1.70 arc seconds), it is closer to Earth.

The Star Wolf 1061 Has a Parallax of 2