Careful measurements reveal that a star maintains a steady apparent brightness at most times, except that at precise intervals of 73 hours the star becomes dimmer for about 2 hours. The change in brightness alternates between a small change and a large change. The most likely explanation is that .

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The fact that the star becomes dimmer for about 2 hours at precise intervals suggests that the star is in a binary system where it is eclipsed by its companion every 73 hours. The alternating small and large changes in brightness may indicate that the two stars in the binary have different sizes or luminosities.

Careful Measurements Reveal That a Star Maintains a Steady Apparent