variable star

noun

: a star whose brightness changes usually in more or less regular periods

Examples of variable star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Stars that change in brightness, known as variable stars, get brighter and dimmer; supernovas burst into view and then gradually fade away; and thousands of objects too faint to see with the unaided eye, like asteroids, move steadily across the sky. Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024 Using these variable stars, scientists can measure the distances to galaxies up to about 100 million light-years from us. Quanta Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024 Henrietta Swan Leavitt developed a key method for measuring astronomical distances that is based on the pulsations of Cepheid variable stars. WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023 Photograph: Alamy Hubble in turn wrote up his variable star measurements and convinced everyone that Andromeda was indeed a separate galaxy. WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for variable star 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'variable star.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of variable star was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near variable star

Cite this Entry

“Variable star.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/variable%20star. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

variable star

noun
: a star whose brightness changes usually in more or less regular periods

More from Merriam-Webster on variable star

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