Multiple Star (redirected from Quadruple star)

multiple star [′məl·tə·pəl ′stär]

(astronomy)

A system of three or more stars which appear to the naked eye as a single star.

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Multiple Star 

a system of three to seven stars in close proximity in space, revolving about a common center of mass under the action of gravitational forces. Systems of eight or more stars are generally the nuclei of star clusters. Multiple stars similar to the trapezium of Orion are systems whose components are more or less equidistant from one another. Such multiple stars may be unstable. In some cases, stars located significantly farther from or closer to the system and only projected on it in the sky are ascribed to the multiple system. The components of multiple stars can themselves be close (spectral, eclipsing, or other type) binary stars. In this case, there may prove to be more than seven stars in the system.