flare star

Astron.

a dwarf star that exhibits sudden increases of magnitude similar to solar flares. Also called UV Ceti star.

[1950-55]

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Star that varies in brightness repeatedly but sporadically, sometimes by more than one magnitude, within a few minutes.

The cause is thought to be the eruption of flares like those observed on the Sun but much larger (see solar flare). Proxima Centauri, in Alpha Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, is a flare star.

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▪ astronomy

also called  Uv Ceti Star,  

      any star that varies in brightness, sometimes by more than one magnitude, within a few minutes. The cause is thought to be the eruption of flares much larger than, but otherwise similar to, those observed on the Sun. Flare stars are sometimes called UV Ceti stars, from a prototype star in the constellation Cetus. Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, is a flare star. All known flare stars are red dwarfs; flares in intrinsically brighter stars are not presently detectable. In UV Ceti and a few others, radio flares have been observed often corresponding to the optical outbursts.

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