I9I5.] McDIARMID— VARIABLE STARS. 69 



The light between echpses does not remain constant ; the Hght 

 curve is distinctly bowed up, showing the stars are elliptical in shape 

 and have their greatest brightness when we see them broad side on. 

 This is the condition midway between eclipses. From the study of 

 the light curve it was found that the stars are very different in size, 

 with the stars nearly of the same brightness having a ratio of i : 1.5. 

 The ellipticity of the stars can best be shown by giving their dimen- 

 sions expressed in terms of the radius of the orbit. 



Major Axis. Minor Axis. 



Big star a^ = 0.567 b^ = 0.519 



Small star O:. = 0.295 b-, = 0.270 



The stars in this system are very close together. 



