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Beta Lyrae

Beta Lyrae or Sheliak is the prototype of an eclipsing binary with mass transfer from one (A) to the other (B) star. The once much bigger A star wants to grow to become a giant. Thereby it fills its Roche volume and its hull gets sucked up by star B. Thus the latter enormously increases its mass.
Although star B shines brighter, we see almost only the glowing of Beta Lyrae A, because the other is surrounded by an absorbing gas and dust cloud.

Constellation: Lyra
Distance: 880 light-years
Visual magnitude A and B: 3.34 - 4.34
Space between Beta Lyrae A and B: 0.28 AU
Orbit period of Beta Lyrae A and B: 12.94 days

Beta Lyrae A

Spectral class: B7
Luminosity: 6000 * Sun
Mass: 4 * Sun
Diameter: 15 * Sun
  

Beta Lyrae B

Spectral class: A8
Luminosity: 25 000 * Sun
Mass: 12 * Sun
Diameter: 7,5 * Sun

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