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Beta Lyrae star
A type of close binary star system that is both an ellipsoidal variable and an eclipsing binary. The secondary minimum of a Beta Lyrae variable is intermediate between that of a Beta Persei star and a W Ursae Majoris star. Even when the components are not in eclipse, we view them from different angles and see a different amount of light, so that the brightness changes are fairly smooth and continuous, unlike the abrupt changes of a normal eclipsing system. The prototype is Beta Lyrae.
Related entry
• variable starsRelated category
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