Stellar Diameters and Binary Eclipses

There are few direct methods for determining the diameter of stars. One of the most important uses eclipses of binary star systems. By carefully examining the light curve, it is possible to determine how long it takes one star to pass in front of the other and this can be used to infer the sizes of the stars. This animation illustrates the relationship of eclipse timing and stellar diameters. Usage: Click "Play" to begin and "Stop" to pause the animation. "Step" moves forward one step and "Back" moves backwards one step. "Home" returns to the beginning from any point.