X-ray binary
Astronomy
noun
A celestial emitter of X-rays that has two components, with matter passing from one component (the donor) to the other (the accretor) giving rise to the emission of X-rays from the latter.
- The accretor is typically a black hole, a neutron star, or a white dwarf, and the donor an ordinary (non-degenerate) star..
Origin
1970s; earliest use found in New Scientist.