double star

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. 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.

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double star British  

noun

1. two stars, appearing close together when viewed through a telescope; either physically associated (binary star) or not associated (optical double star) See also binary star optical double star

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double star Scientific  

1. See binary star

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Etymology

Origin of double star

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

You can observe double stars and clusters at star parties up on the lawn at the Griffith Observatory, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

The park service is enticing potential visitors by telling them that they could see “an assortment of planets, double stars, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies by night.”

From New York Times

And a smaller quibble: movie also purports in an early scene to show the double star Mizar and Alcor, but the photograph on screen is not of them.

From Salon

“You can look for satellites and constellations and double stars,” Oluseyi says.

From New York Times

Stellar-size black holes call attention to themselves as they cannibalize their companions in double star systems.

From New York Times