spectroscopic binary

noun Astronomy.

a binary star having components that are not sufficiently separated to be resolved by a telescope, known to be a binary only bythe variations in wavelength of emitted light that are detected by a spectroscope.

Compare visual binary.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

spectroscopic binary in Science

spectroscopic binary

[spĕk′trə-skŏp′ĭk]

See under binary star.

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