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UV Ceti star
A red or orange emission-line dwarf (spectral type dMe or dKe) that is also eruptive variable; also known as a flare star. Within seconds the star may brighten by up to 6 magnitudes, then decline, rapidly at first, then more gradually to a preflare level after several minutes or hours. An increase in radio and X-ray emission accompanies the optical outburst. The flare activity is similar to that found on the Sun but appears comparatively more dramatic because of the normal faintness of red/orange dwarfs. UV Ceti itself is a faint M6eV dwarf that is part of a red dwarf binary system (the B component Luyten 726-8). The two members are of nearly equal brightness (visual magnitude 15.3 and 15.8) and orbit one another every 26.5 years.
Related entry
• variable starsRelated category
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