What is wz cassiopeiae?

WZ Cassiopeiae is a cataclysmic variable star located in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is a binary star system, consisting of a white dwarf star and a red giant star that are very close to each other and are orbiting each other every 2.2 hours.

The system is known for its irregular and unpredictable outbursts of brightness, which occur when material from the red giant star is accreted onto the white dwarf. During these outbursts, the brightness of WZ Cassiopeiae increases by several magnitudes over the course of a few hours or days.

The first recorded outburst of WZ Cassiopeiae was in 1913, and since then it has been observed to have outbursts every 20-30 years. The most recent outburst occurred in 2000 and lasted for several weeks.

WZ Cassiopeiae is an important object of study for astronomers as it provides insight into the evolution of binary star systems and the physics of accretion onto white dwarf stars.