spectroscopic binary

noun

Astronomy.

a binary star having components that are not sufficiently separated to be resolved by a telescope, known to be a binary only bythe variations in wavelength of emitted light that are detected by a spectroscope.

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Examples have not been reviewed.

The star β Cephei has recently been discovered to be a spectroscopic binary with the wonderfully short period of 4h 34m 11s.

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The brighter component was found to be a spectroscopic binary by Wright, so that on the whole the star is a most interesting object.

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It has recently been found to be a spectroscopic binary.

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Capella has been found to be a spectroscopic binary; also the pole star.

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Prof. Campbell estimates that fully one star in six is a spectroscopic binary.

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