visual binary system: A binary star system in which the two stars are separately visible in the telescope.
Figure 11. A visual binary system is shown. The stars are in orbit about the center of mass of the system. The sizes of their orbits depend upon their masses - the more massive, the closer to the center of mass.
Another nearby visual binary system is Sirius in the constellation Canis Major. Of the two stars, α CMa A is an A1 V star, the brightest in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of -1.43.
As a simple example, consider the nearby visual binary system made up of the bright star Sirius A and its faint companion Sirius B. Their orbital period is 50 years and their orbital semi"major axis is 20 A.U."7;.5" at a distance of 2.
Figure: (a) In a visual binary system one can see two stars orbiting each other. (b) In an astrometric binary system one sees only one star but its proper motion follows a curved path.
 See also: Heat, H-R Diagram, Earth, Frequency, Jupiter
  
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