The Binary Fraction of RSGs in the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud

Explore a 17-minute astronomy lecture examining the binary fraction of Red Supergiants (RSGs) in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Learn about groundbreaking research from Beijing Normal University that analyzes the largest samples of RSGs ever collected - 4,697 in the LMC and 2,097 in the SMC. Discover how binary systems with hot companions are identified through UV excess detection in spectral energy distributions, revealing binary fractions of approximately 37.6% and 37.3% in the LMC and SMC respectively. Understand the methodology for calculating stellar parameters of companion stars, including temperature, radius, luminosity and surface gravity, and see how these findings are validated through light curve analysis and radial velocity dispersions.