Cepheid Variable in Spiral Galaxy
A Cepheid is a star that varies in light intensity over regular, measurable periods. The period of pulsation is directly related to a Cepheid's intrinsic brightness making observations of these stars a powerful tool for determining distance. This animation shows a Cepheid variable star varying in brightness in the arm of a spiral galaxy.
This animation shows a Cepheid variable star varying in brightness in the arm of a spiral galaxy.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA
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Animator
- Dana Berry (Skyworks Digital)
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Writer
- Michael McClare (HTSI)
Release date
This page was originally published on Tuesday, July 3, 2007.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:55 PM EDT.