Heartbeat stars are pulsating variable binary star systems in eccentric orbits with vibrations caused by tidal forces. The name "heartbeat" comes from the similarity of the light curve of the star with what a heartbeat looks like through an electrocardiogram if their brightness was mapped over time.
Heartbeat stars are pulsating variable binary star systems in eccentric orbits with vibrations caused by tidal forces. The name "heartbeat" comes from the similarity of the light curve of the star with what a heartbeat looks like through an electrocardiogram if their brightness was mapped over time.
Source: Wikipedia "Heartbeat star" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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