gravity darkening
See also: gravity-darkening
English
Noun
gravity darkening (uncountable)
- (physics, astronomy) The phenomenon of a star rotating so rapidly that it is oblate, with a larger radius and thus lower surface gravity at the equator (which is thus cooler and darker: gravity-darkened), and higher surface gravity at the poles (which are hotter and brighter: gravity brightened).
Synonyms
- gravity brightening
See also
- limb darkening, limb brightening