Astrophysics (Index)About

star system

(a gravitationally bound set of a few stars)

A star system is a gravitationally bound set of a few stars (i.e., far fewer than a globular cluster or galaxy). Examples include Alpha Centauri with three stars, as well as any binary star. Related terms include triple star, multiple star (sometimes used to mean any system of more then one star but sometimes used to mean three or more), and higher order multiple star (specifically, three or more).

The term stellar system also includes single stars, plus objects, gas, and dust gravitationally bound to the star(s), e.g., the solar system.


Use of these terms is not consistent: I find the term star system sometimes used meaning a single star as well, and the term stellar system sometimes meant to imply multiple stars, and often the two phrases are treated as synonyms. The clearer term single star system is sometimes used for single stars such as the Sun and solar system, but unfortunately, there does not appear to be a term that by consensus covers both single stars and multiple star systems, plus their planets, etc.


(stars,planets)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_system
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/star_system
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stellar_system
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/single_star_system

Referenced by pages:
Algol (Beta Per)
Alpha Centauri (α Centauri)
astronomical unit (AU)
binary star
Capella
cosmic dust
double transit
double-line spectroscopic binary (SB2)
DQ Tau
Epsilon Eridani (ε Eridani)
Epsilon Indi (ε Indi)
extra-solar planet
failed binary
field
free-floating planet (FFP)
gas flow
GG Tau
Kepler-16b
Kepler-452b
Lacaille 9352
Lalande 21185
Luhman 16
Luyten 726-8
mass transfer
multiple star system
multiplicity fraction
Orion
planetary system
post-common-envelope binary (PCEB)
Proxima b
Rigel
Ross 154
Ross 248
Sirius
solar system
starshade
substellar object
supernova progenitor
survey-based designator
timescale (t)
transit timing variations (TTV)
Wolf 359

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