What does it mean when textbooks mention star periods?
Like they have periods of 3 - 50 days, I know apparent brightness is related to it, so is it like the stars go from being fainter to brighter such as 3 days they are a certain faint color of brightness then at day 50 it gets the brightest it can and then it repeats?
I'm sorry if this sounds dumb, I'm just a bit confused.
Thanks.
Like they have periods of 3 - 50 days, I know apparent brightness is related to it, so is it like the stars go from being fainter to brighter such as 3 days they are a certain faint color of brightness then at day 50 it gets the brightest it can and then it repeats?
I'm sorry if this sounds dumb, I'm just a bit confused.
Thanks.
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The period of a variable star is the time it takes to go from bright to dim to bright again. Nothing more.
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Many stars are variable in brightness, called "variable stars." Some vary because they are close double stars which block each other's light for part of their cycle, others vary in size and temperature because of physical processes within them. The article below gives information on the many different types of variable stars.