Transient class · Optical / X-ray
Cataclysmic Variable
A close binary in which a white dwarf accretes matter from a companion through a disk, producing recurrent outbursts as the disk brightens — the dwarf novae and related variables of the time-domain sky.
Observed across & involves
Knowledge connections
- Associated withVisible light
- Associated withX-ray
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.