as in neutron star
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Recent Examples of variable star
This region, about 8,000 light-years from Earth, is located adjacent to the famous explosive variable star Eta Carinae, which lies just outside the field of view toward the upper right.
—
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
Stars that change in brightness, known as variable stars, get brighter and dimmer; supernovas burst into view and then gradually fade away; and thousands of objects too faint to see with the unaided eye, like asteroids, move steadily across the sky.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024
Using these variable stars, scientists can measure the distances to galaxies up to about 100 million light-years from us.
—Quanta Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024
Henrietta Swan Leavitt developed a key method for measuring astronomical distances that is based on the pulsations of Cepheid variable stars.
—WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for variable star
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
Stars that change in brightness, known as variable stars, get brighter and dimmer; supernovas burst into view and then gradually fade away; and thousands of objects too faint to see with the unaided eye, like asteroids, move steadily across the sky.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024
Using these variable stars, scientists can measure the distances to galaxies up to about 100 million light-years from us.
—Quanta Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024
Henrietta Swan Leavitt developed a key method for measuring astronomical distances that is based on the pulsations of Cepheid variable stars.
—WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for variable star
Recent Examples of Synonyms for variable star
Noun
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Because of their curious ability to transmute into photons in the presence of strong magnetic fields, any place that features strong fields—think neutron stars or even the solar corona—could produce extra radiation due to axions.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2025
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Gravitational waves are distortions in the fabric of space-time caused by the motion of massive objects like black holes or neutron stars.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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The campaign, which is slated to run locally, nationally and internationally, incorporates the red stars and colors of the Chicago flag, and features scenes of people making doughnuts, running by the lakefront and partying en masse at a live concert.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
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The lunar disk will appear to close in on Antares as the night of June 9 progresses, with the red star eventually setting above the moon's upper left shoulder as the duo slip beneath the southwestern horizon in the predawn hours of June 10.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
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With the quest for longitude over, the observatory explored other avenues of astronomy, such as tracking Earth's magnetic field, viewing planetary transits and characterizing binary star systems.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 June 2025
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Astronomers may have discovered a rare type of binary star system, where one star used to orbit inside its partner.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The most violent of these deaths are associated with truly giant stars and are known as supernovas—explosions that sometimes outshine entire galaxies.—
Robin George Andrews,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 May 2025
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Pollux is a giant star, while Castor is three stars orbiting each other.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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The system consists of one star and a white dwarf, which is the leftover core of a dead star.—
Elizabeth Gamillo,
Smithsonian Magazine,
3 July 2025
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These are binary systems in which one object, a dense stellar corpse known as a white dwarf, is stripping material from a companion star.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Yet many estate plans are written as if these variables will remain constant forever.—
Patti Brennan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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Another variable complicating the federal workers’ case is the Supreme Court’s recent decision on the authority of federal judges to grant universal injunctions.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Variable star.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/variable%20star. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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