Astronomers Have New Way of Finding Exoplanets in Cataclysmic Binary Systems
Have you heard of the LU Camelopardalis, QZ Serpentis, V1007 Herculis and BK Lyncis? No, they weren’t in the boy band in ancient Rome. They are Cataclysmic Variables, binary stars so close together that one star takes matter from its sibling. This causes the pairs to vary greatly in brightness. Could a planet exist in this chaotic environment? Can we see them? A new study says yes to both. Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) experienced a large increase in brightness. All stars vary in brightness to some degree, even our own sun. But the increase in CV brightness is much more pronounced than in stars like our Sun, and it happens on an irregular basis. Remove All Ads in Universe Today Join our Patreon for only $3! Get an ad-free experience for life There are different types of catastrophic variables: classic nova, dwarf nova, multiple supernova, and others. All types share the same basic mechanics. A pair of stars orbit each other closely, and one star is larger than the other. The mo