contact binary
noun
: a binary star system in which the two stars are close enough together for material to pass between them
Examples of contact binary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sweeping past the contact binary Arrokoth at a distance of just 3,500 kilometers (2,198 miles) in 2019, the images that New Horizons returned appeared to an untrained eye to resemble an unspectacular lumpy potato.
—
Diane Hope, Ars Technica, 12 Dec. 2023
Based on models of contact binary star behavior, the two should meet in an incandescent bear hug in 2022, give or take a year or so.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Those observations should help to refine our models of contact binary star mergers and shore up Molnar's prediction.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Discovered a bit over a decade ago, it was recently shown to be a contact binary star — two stars orbiting each other so tightly that their atmospheres are conjoined in a stellar embrace.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Ultima Thule — considered a contact binary — is the most distant world ever explored.
—Marcia Dunn, The Seattle Times, 12 Feb. 2019
It’s two asteroids that have collided and stuck together many years ago, becoming what’s known as a contact binary.
—Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, 2 Jan. 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Diane Hope, Ars Technica, 12 Dec. 2023
Based on models of contact binary star behavior, the two should meet in an incandescent bear hug in 2022, give or take a year or so.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Those observations should help to refine our models of contact binary star mergers and shore up Molnar's prediction.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Discovered a bit over a decade ago, it was recently shown to be a contact binary star — two stars orbiting each other so tightly that their atmospheres are conjoined in a stellar embrace.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2017
Ultima Thule — considered a contact binary — is the most distant world ever explored.
—Marcia Dunn, The Seattle Times, 12 Feb. 2019
It’s two asteroids that have collided and stuck together many years ago, becoming what’s known as a contact binary.
—Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, 2 Jan. 2019
Dictionary Entries Near contact binary
Cite this Entry
“Contact binary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contact%20binary. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share