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cataclysmic variable |
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cataclysmic variable [¦kad·ə¦kliz·mik ′ver·ē·ə·bəl] (astronomy) A star showing a sudden increase in the magnitude of light, followed by a slow fading of light; examples are novae and supernovae. Also known as explosive variable. In particular, a short-period binary star, one of whose components is a white dwarf star, capable of irregularly timed but recurrent outbursts of brightness by 2 to 10,000. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Observations of certain binaries, known as cataclysmic variable stars, will involve a special collaboration with observers on the ground, notes Stachnik. |
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