Aspects of this topic are discussed in the following places at Britannica.
...stars are variable. Some are geometric variables, as in the eclipsing binaries considered earlier. Others are intrinsically variable—i.e., their total energy output fluctuates with time. Such intrinsic variable stars are dealt with in this section.
Unlike eclipsing binaries, the other two types of variable stars are intrinsically variable—that is to say, their own output of radiant energy fluctuates with time. The pulsating variables expand and contract cyclically, causing them to pulsate rhythmically in brightness and size. The Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars are typical examples of such variables. The...
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