In the framework of the MIT bag model we consider absolutely stable strange quark matter consisting of u, d, and s quarks and electrons. For a realistic range of parameters of the quark bag we compute the threshold density for the appearance of strange quark matter that is realized on the surface of self-sustaining strange stars. On the basis of twelve calculated equations of state we give a detailed study of the series of configurations of strange stars consistent with the best known observational data. We show that the binding energy of the models depends essentially on the quark-gluon interaction constant αc.