Binary star undergo mutual eclipses. In the case where the binary is also a spectroscopic binary and the parallax of the system is known, the binary is quite valuable for stellar analysis. Algol, a triple star system in the constellation Perseus, contains the best-known example of an eclipsing binary. Eclipsing binaries are variable stars, not because the light of the individual components vary but because of the eclipses. The light curve of an eclipsing binary is characterized by periods of practically constant light, with periodic drops in intensity when one star passes in front of the other. The brightness may drop twice
Combinatorial number system of a set "S" is a subset of "S" with "k" (distinct) elements. The main purpose of the combinatorial number system is to provide a representation, each by a single number, of all formula_1 possible "k"-combinations of a set "S" of "n" elements. Choosing, for any "n", } as such a set, it can be arranged that the representation of a given "k"-combination "C" is independent of the value of "n" (although "n" must of course be sufficiently large); in other words considering "C" as a subset of a larger set by increasing "n" will not change the number that