double star
–noun Astronomy. | two stars that appear as one if not viewed through a telescope with adequate magnification, such as two stars that are separated by a great distance but are nearly in line with each other and an observer (optical double star), or those that are relatively close together and comprise a single physical system (physical double star). |
Origin: 1775–85
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
