binary stars
Orbiting sun duo
Binary stars are two stars that orbit around their common center of mass, gravitationally bound to each other.
Many apparent single points of light in the night sky are actually binary systems.
Some can be seen as separate stars through telescopes; others are detected only through their gravitational effects or light variations.
The eclipsing binary dims when one star passes in front of the other.
Two matching things
dyad · coupled · partnered · dual · twinned · complementary · interdependent · bound
Joined on one side
- double starTwo stars orbiting together
- SiriusNight's most luminous point
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
- PolarisCelestial north marker
Curved celestial path
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- barycenterMutual orbit point
- eccentricityUnconventional behavior or nature
- orbital mechanicsScience of celestial motion
elliptical orbit · inclination · orbital decay · velocity · dynamics
Chief in importance
- secondaryLesser in rank
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
- neutron starUltradense stellar remnant
pulsar · main sequence · nova · supernova · luminosity
Relating to mass-based attraction
- massQuantity of matter
- attractionPull toward something
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
- gravitational wavesPropagating curvature in spacetime
space-time · curvature · general relativity · gravitational lensing · merger · center of mass · accretion
Celestial body blocking another
- transitMovement between places
- dimmingDecreasing in brightness
- photometryMeasuring light intensity
- magnitudeSize or scale
luminosity · spectroscopy · conjunction · alignment · ingress · egress · umbra · penumbra
pair
Two matching things
twofold · dyad · coupled · partnered · dual · twinned · complementary · interdependent · bound · Gemini
semi-detached
Joined on one side
- double starTwo stars orbiting together
- SiriusNight's most luminous point
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
orbit
Curved celestial path
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- barycenterMutual orbit point
- eccentricityUnconventional behavior or nature
orbital mechanics · elliptical orbit · inclination · orbital decay · velocity · dynamics
primary
Chief in importance
- secondaryLesser in rank
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
neutron star · pulsar · main sequence · nova · supernova · luminosity
gravitational
Relating to mass-based attraction
- massQuantity of matter
- attractionPull toward something
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
gravitational waves · space-time · curvature · general relativity · gravitational lensing · merger · center of mass · accretion
occultation
Celestial body blocking another
- transitMovement between places
- dimmingDecreasing in brightness
- photometryMeasuring light intensity
magnitude · luminosity · spectroscopy · conjunction · alignment · ingress · egress · umbra · penumbra · variable star
- Stellar Astronomystellar populations, red giants, white dwarfs, Cepheid variables, nucleosynthesis
- astronomymoon, sun, planet, planets, star
- cosmosuniverse, galaxies, galaxy, star, planets
- spacespace, sun, moon, star, Earth
- Celestial Objectsplanets, moons, comets, galaxies, nebulae
- cosmic objectsgalaxies, nebulae, pulsars, quasars, black holes
stars, bipartisan, binary, bisect, binoculars, bilingual, biennial, bifurcate, biplane