Astrophysics (Index)About

cataclysmic variable star

(CV, cataclysmic variable)
(star whose magnitude is much brighter on occasion)

A cataclysmic variable star (CV or cataclysmic variable) is a variable star that irregularly grows in magnitude by a large factor, the extra brightness lasting for some time and subsiding. These events of temporary brightening are termed novae. The mechanism creating these events is a white dwarf accreting matter from a binary companion to the point that fusion is ignited, but is sustained only temporarily.


(star type,variable,transient type)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataclysmic_variable_star
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/c/Cataclysmic+Variable
https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/cataclysmic_variables.html
https://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/www_astro/gal/cv_beginners.html
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1999PASP..111..532S/abstract
https://app.aavso.org/media/jaavso/2842.pdf

Referenced by pages:
dwarf nova (DN)
line tomography
rare designator prefixes
variable star

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