The Exciting World of Binary Stars: Not Just Eclipses Anymore (Abstract)

Volume 46 number 1 (2018)

Bert Pablo

AAVSO Headquarters, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA 02138; hpablo@aavso.org

Abstract

(Abstract only) Binary stars have always been essential to astronomy. Their periodic eclipses are the most common and efficient method for determining precise masses and radii of stars. Binaries are known for their predictability and have been observed for hundreds if not thousands of years. As such, they are often ignored by observers as uninteresting, however, nothing could be farther from the truth. In the last ten years alone the importance of binary stars, as well of our knowledge of them, has changed significantly. In this talk, I will introduce you to this new frontier of heartbeats, mergers, and evolution, while hopefully motivating a change in the collective thinking of how this unique class of objects is viewed. Most importantly, I will highlight areas in which anyone who wants can contribute to the understanding and enhancement of our astronomical knowledge base.