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W Virginis star  

Definition

  • A member of a class of pulsating stars with a period of 1 to 35 days located in the instability strip of the H-R diagram. Also known as type II Cepheid variables, W Virginis stars are typically 1.5 mag fainter than classical Type I Cepheids and have a mass less than that of the Sun. They also exhibit a period-luminosity relation which is distinct, but works in a similar way to the relation for Type I Cepheids. Hence W Virginis stars can also be used to measure Galactic and extragalactic distances. (An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, https://dictionary.obspm.fr/index.php?formSearchTextfield=w+virginis&formSubmit=Search&showAll=1)

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http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-K0X0WJ85-8

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