Figure 17-24: R I V U X G
Representative Light Curves of Eclipsing Binaries (a), (b), (c) The shape of the light curve of an eclipsing binary can reveal many details about the two stars that make up the binary. (d) This image shows the binary star NN Serpens (indicated by the arrow) undergoing a total eclipse. The telescope was moved during the exposure so that the sky drifted slowly from left to right across the field of view. During the 10.5-minute duration of the eclipse, the dimmer star of the binary system (an M6 main-sequence star) passed in front of the other, more luminous star (a white dwarf). The binary became so dim that it almost disappeared.
Representative Light Curves of Eclipsing Binaries (a), (b), (c) The shape of the light curve of an eclipsing binary can reveal many details about the two stars that make up the binary. (d) This image shows the binary star NN Serpens (indicated by the arrow) undergoing a total eclipse. The telescope was moved during the exposure so that the sky drifted slowly from left to right across the field of view. During the 10.5-minute duration of the eclipse, the dimmer star of the binary system (an M6 main-sequence star) passed in front of the other, more luminous star (a white dwarf). The binary became so dim that it almost disappeared.
(European Southern Observatory)