(This is treating them as spheres, though they must really be pulled into decidedly prolate shapes. Indeed it may seem surprising that the further portions can keep up with the nearer portions as they revolve. If they are of something like solar density their diameter will be comparable to half a million miles, and the natural periods of their near and far portions will differ in the ratio (17/16)3/2 = 1·1 approximately. Tenacity could not hold the parts together, but gravitational coherence would.)
This, however, is a digression. Let us continue the calculation of the gravitative pull.
We have masses of 3 × 104 × 6 × 1021 tons, revolving with angular velocity 2π ÷ 4 days, in a circle of radius 8 × 106 miles.
Consequently the centripetal acceleration is 4 π² × 8 × 106 / 16 miles per day per day; which comes out 32 / 2·2 ft. per sec. per sec., or nearly half ordinary terrestrial gravity.
Consequently the pull between the two components of the double star β Aurigæ is
g / 2.2 × 18 × 1025 tons,
or equal to the weight of
80 × 1024 tons on the earth,