Monday, October 26, 2009

Pingie: HTTP:: Explaining Eclipsing Binary Star Systems

HTTP:: Explaining Eclipsing Binary Star Systems
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In astronomy, the term binary system refers to a group of two stars, which are locked to each other through their mutual gravitational forces and orbit a common center of gravity. Instances in which a small star orbits a massive one are not unheard of as well. The difference between such a system and an eclipsing binary is strictly a matter of perspective, as in how we see them from the Earth. Their orbits around their center of gravity must be organized in such a manner that, from time to time, they either fully or partially cover one another, Space Fellowship reports. In most instances, the two stars are not of the same caliber, size and luminosity. Therefore, when the smaller star moves in front of the larger one, the covered area emits light that no longer reaches observatories on Earth. The telescopes then produce a brightness curve for the system that drops significantly when this juxtaposition happens. Among astronomers, this phase in the star system is known as a !
primary minimum. The brightness curve can record another type of minimum â€" a secondary minimum â€" when the smaller star moves behind the larger one. The overall luminosity drops again, and is significantly lower (as viewed from our planet) than in the phases where the two stars are next to each other. The difference in brightness...
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http://news.softpedia.com/news/Explaining-Eclipsing-Binary-Star-Systems-125249.shtml
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