Cepheid
[ sē′fē-ĭd, sĕf′ē- ]
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Any of a class of variable stars whose luminosity fluctuates with an extremely regular period. There is a strong correlation between the absolute magnitude of a Cepheid's luminosity and its period. By comparing the apparent magnitude of a Cepheid to the absolute magnitude corresponding to its period, it is possible to determine fairly accurately how distant the Cepheid is from Earth. Also called Cepheid variable
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Words nearby Cepheid
cephalosporin, cephalothorax, cephalous, Cephalus, -cephaly, Cepheid, Cepheid variable, Cepheus, 'cept, cer-, cera
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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