variable star

What Are Cepheid Variables And Why Are They Important?

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What Are Cepheid Variables And Why Are They Important? Cepheids are extremely important to astronomers because their periodic changes in brightness can be used to figure out how far away they are. Because Cepheids are intrinsically bright stars, they can be seen far away, and astronomers can use them to determine the distance to very

What Are The Two Types Of Variable Stars?

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What Are The Two Types Of Variable Stars? There are two different categories of variable stars. Intrinsic variables are stars whose luminosity physically changes due to pulsations, eruptions or through swelling and shrinking. Extrinsic variables are stars that change in brightness because of being eclipsed by stellar rotation or by another star or planet. How