binary star system
Two orbiting suns
A binary star system is a pair of stars that orbit each other, bound together by gravity.
Most stars in the universe exist in such systems rather than alone like our sun.
The two stars may be close enough to exchange material or so far apart they take thousands of years to complete an orbit.
Astronomers discovered the planet orbits within a binary star system.
Study of light-matter interaction
- photometryMeasuring light intensity
- parallaxPosition change from different vantages
- magnitudeSize or scale
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
telescope · transit · occultation · eclipse · spectrograph · interferometry · astrometry · redshift
Stable stellar burning phase
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
- supergiantHuge luminous evolved star
- pulsarMagnetized rotating neutron emitter
Mutual orbit point
- elliptical orbitOval-shaped celestial path
- angular momentumRotational motion quantity
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
periodic · centripetal · orbital decay · eccentricity · inclination · precession · perturbation
Temporary stellar brightening event
- supernovaExploding massive star
- stellar windStar's ejected particle stream
- gravitational wavesPropagating curvature in spacetime
- mergerCorporate combination
coalescence · outburst · flare · corona · chromosphere
Night's most luminous point
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
- PolarisCelestial north marker
- CastorMythic twin, now stellar
- CapellaAuriga's leading light
spectroscopy
Study of light-matter interaction
- photometryMeasuring light intensity
- parallaxPosition change from different vantages
- magnitudeSize or scale
luminosity · telescope · transit · occultation · eclipse · spectrograph · interferometry · astrometry · redshift · blueshift
main sequence
Stable stellar burning phase
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
- supergiantHuge luminous evolved star
barycenter
Mutual orbit point
- elliptical orbitOval-shaped celestial path
- angular momentumRotational motion quantity
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
revolution · periodic · centripetal · orbital decay · eccentricity · inclination · precession · perturbation
nova
Temporary stellar brightening event
- supernovaExploding massive star
- stellar windStar's ejected particle stream
- gravitational wavesPropagating curvature in spacetime
merger · coalescence · outburst · flare · corona · chromosphere
Sirius
Night's most luminous point
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
- PolarisCelestial north marker
- CastorMythic twin, now stellar