binary star
binary star — noun
1. two stars locked in orbit around one another by the pull of gravity; also, eithe
two stars locked in orbit around one another by the pull of gravity; also, either star in such a pair
Through his telescope, Reuben spotted a binary star glowing faintly in the constellation Cygnus.
spotted + binary star + in [constellation]
Astrid drew a diagram showing a binary star with two suns circling a common point.
On a clear winter night, Apinya aimed her telescope at Sirius and made out the binary star's tiny white-dwarf companion.
At Chile's Paranal Observatory, Wei watched a binary star resolve into two sharp points of light on the monitor.
Every six hours, the binary star's light dipped sharply — Ayana was watching two suns take turns eclipsing each other.
- double star
broader term; includes optical doubles that only appear close from Earth
- binary system
more general; can refer to any two-body gravitational system, not only stars
- single star
a star not gravitationally bound to a companion
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'double star,' which can refer to any two stars that appear close in the sky, whether or not they are gravitationally bound.