contact binary

Scientists hope to determine whether such contact binaries are common.

Since then radar observations of other asteroids have found other contact binaries.

Contact binaries are sometimes confused with common envelopes.

Contact binaries also could be examples of accretion, an early stage in the growth of planets.

These star systems are known as contact binaries as the component stars are so close together they touch.

Other asteroids, possibly including Itokawa, have been found to be contact binaries, two major bodies touching, with or without rubble filling the boundary.

He selected contact binaries as his primary area of research and recorded period changes of 24 contact binaries.

The tidal locking situation for asteroid moons is largely unknown, but closely orbiting binaries are expected to be tidally locked, as well as contact binaries.

Asteroids suspected of being contact binaries include the unusually elongated 624 Hektor and the bilobated 216 Kleopatra and 4769 Castalia.

They are termed contact binaries because the two stars touch and transfer mass and energy through the connecting neck, although astronomer R.E. Wilson argues that the term "overcontact" is more appropriate.

Almost all known contact binary systems are eclipsing binaries; eclipsing contact binaries are known as W Ursae Majoris variables, after their type star, W Ursae Majoris.

On the other hand, beta Lyrae variables look a bit like W Ursae Majoris variables; however, the latter are in general yet closer binaries (so-called contact binaries), and their component stars are mostly lighter than the beta Lyrae system components (about one solar mass).