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

cephalothoracic, cephalothorax, cephalous, Cephalus, -cephaly, Cepheid, Cepheid variable, Cepheus, 'cept, -ceptor, cer-

How to use Cepheid in a sentence

The "Cepheid," her sister ship, had gone along on seven of the trips, and added to the total.
The Ultimate Weapon|John Wood Campbell
They started down the corridor, and came presently to the huge locks where the "S Doradus" and the "Cepheid" were berthed.
The Ultimate Weapon|John Wood Campbell
Shapley has estimated the distances of many of these bodies, which contain a large number of variable stars of the Cepheid type.
Astronomy|David Todd
Some stars pulsed, like the Cepheid variables, but in an orderly way.
The Egyptian Cat Mystery|Harold Leland Goodwin

And then for an instant, the Cepheid's bright wink was dulled; eclipsed.
The Women-Stealers of Thrayx|Fox B. Holden