A report on Double star, Binary star and Star system
This occurs because the pair either forms a binary star (i.e. a binary system of stars in mutual orbit, gravitationally bound to each other) or is an optical double, a chance line-of-sight alignment of two stars at different distances from the observer.
- Double starA star system of two stars is known as a binary star, binary star system or physical double star.
- Star systemMultiple stars are also studied in this way, although the dynamics of multiple stellar systems are more complex than those of binary stars.
- Double starThe more general term double star is used for pairs of stars which are seen to be close together in the sky.
- Binary starIt is estimated that approximately one third of the star systems in the Milky Way are binary or multiple, with the remaining two thirds being single stars.
- Binary star3 related topics with Alpha
Mizar
0 linksSecond-magnitude star in the handle of the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major.
Second-magnitude star in the handle of the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major.
It forms a well-known naked eye double star with the fainter star Alcor, and is itself a quadruple star system.
Mizar is a visual double with a separation of 14.4 arcseconds, each of which is a spectroscopic binary.
Alpha Centauri
0 linksGravitationally bound system of the closest stars and planets to the Solar System at 4.37 light-years from the Sun.
Gravitationally bound system of the closest stars and planets to the Solar System at 4.37 light-years from the Sun.
It is a triple star system consisting of α Centauri A (officially Rigil Kentaurus), α Centauri B (officially Toliman), and the closest star α Centauri C (officially Proxima Centauri).
Alpha Centauri A and B are Sun-like stars (Class G and K, respectively), and together they form the binary star Alpha Centauri AB.
For example, in about 6,200 AD, α Centauri's true motion will cause an extremely rare first-magnitude stellar conjunction with Beta Centauri, forming a brilliant optical double star in the southern sky.
Castor (star)
0 linksSecond-brightest object in the zodiac constellation of Gemini.
Second-brightest object in the zodiac constellation of Gemini.
Castor appears singular to the naked eye, but it is actually a sextuple star system organized into three binary pairs.
Appearing to the naked eye as a single star, Castor was first recorded as a double star in 1718 by James Pound, but it may have been resolved into at least two sources of light by Cassini as early as 1678.