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metal prints binary metal prints accretion disc metal prints binary star metal prints variable star metal prints cataclysmic metal prints red dwarf metal prints white dwarf metal prints binary star system metal prints astronomy metal prints cosmology metal prints science metal prints stellar metal prints peculiar metal prints

photographs binary photos accretion disc photos binary star photos variable star photos cataclysmic photos red dwarf photos white dwarf photos binary star system photos astronomy photos cosmology photos science photos stellar photos peculiar photos

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Cataclysmic variable binary star. Artwork showing a stage in the formation of a nova in a cataclysmic variable binary star system. A red dwarf (lower left) is seen in mutual orbit with a white dwarf (upper right). An accretion disc of material pulled from the red dwarf can be seen around the white dwarf. At the point where the trail of material meets the disc is a hot spot of compressed glowing gas. Systems such as this produce novae, outbursts which suddenly increase the apparent brightness of the star many times. These occur as some gas in the disc explodes on the surface of the white dwarf. Many such novae recur regularly.

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