bistellar system
- noun
- /bɪˈstɛlər ˈsɪstəm/
- Specialized
:
sistema bistelar
- Light from the bistellar system flickered as the two stars eclipsed each other.
Examples
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A bistellar system consists of two stars.
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The astronomers observed a bistellar system through the new telescope.
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A newly found bistellar system challenges existing theories about star formation.
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The bistellar system was discovered in 2021.
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Astronomers recently identified a bistellar system where two stars orbit each other closely.
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NASA's latest mission has focused on studying a unique bistellar system in the Milky Way.
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Many galaxies contain a bistellar system that provides insights into stellar evolution.
Synonyms
3
4.7
Two stars in space that move around a shared point because they pull on each other
3
6.6
Two stars that orbit each other
1
5.5
Two stars that are very close and usually move around each other
Surface Forms
Morphology
bistellar + system
The phrase is analyzable as bi- (two) + stellar (star-related) + system, so a learner who recognises those morphemes could infer 'a two-star system'. However, 'bistellar' is not a common dictionary item and relies on knowledge of the prefix 'bi-' and the adjective 'stellar' (which may be beyond a typical B1 learner), making the interpretation only partly predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Bistellar system comes from the parts bi- meaning 'two' and stellar meaning 'star', so picture two stars moving around each other like dance partners. That's why the term means a star system made of exactly two stars.