Artist’s impression of eclipsing binary

This artist’s impression shows an eclipsing binary star system. As the two stars orbit each other they pass in front of one another and their combined brightness, seen from a distance, decreases. By studying how the light changes, and other properties of the system, astronomers can measure the distances to eclipsing binaries very accurately. A long series of observations of very rare cool eclipsing binaries has now led to the most accurate determination so far of the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighbouring galaxy to the Milky Way and crucial step in the determination of distances across the Universe.

Credit:

ESO/L. Calçada

About the Image

Id:eso1311a
Type:Artwork
Release date:6 March 2013, 19:00
Related releases:eso1311
Size:4500 x 2813 px

About the Object

Name:Eclipse
Type:Unspecified : Star : Grouping : Binary
Category:Illustrations
Stars

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