Question

J. P. M. Prentice discovered a form of these constructs that was visible to the naked eye for several months. That one of these constructs, DQ Herculis, is a prototype for a category of these things called intermediate polars. When these non-white dwarf (15[1])constructs unusually increase in brightness and quickly go back to their quiescent state, they are called cataclysmic variables. (-5[1])The (*) “overcontact” one of these systems is made when a gaseous envelope (-5[1])is shared. They’re not pulsars, but Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor Jr. (10[2])won the Nobel Prize for their namesake (10[1])one of these systems used as a test for general relativity. When these systems are detached, each star is within (-5[1])its own Roche lobe. For 10 points, name these star systems, consisting of two (10[1])gravitationally-bound (10[1])stars that are orbiting one another. ■END■ (10[2])

ANSWER: binary star systems [accept binary stars; accept detached binary systems; accept Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar; accept overcontact binary; accept cataclysmic variables before mention; prompt on intermediate polars before mention]
<Ezra Santos, Other Science>
= Average correct buzz position

Back to tossups

Summary

2024 Penn Bowl UNC10/26/2024Y3100%0%0%70.67
2024 Penn Bowl Florida10/26/2024Y2100%0%0%96.50
2024 Penn Bowl Harvard10/26/2024Y4100%0%25%106.50
2024 Penn Bowl UK10/26/2024Y5100%0%20%99.00
2024 Penn Bowl Berkeley11/02/2024Y2100%50%0%68.00
2024 Penn Bowl Mainsite11/02/2024Y3100%0%33%104.67
2024 Penn Bowl CWRU11/02/2024Y4100%0%25%114.50
2024 Penn Bowl Chicago11/02/2024Y8100%13%38%102.25
2024 Penn Bowl Texas11/02/2024Y2100%0%0%91.50

Buzzes

PlayerTeamOpponentBuzz PositionValue
John John GrogerWUSTLChicago A4215
Stephen HeritageNotre Dame BIndiana A60-5
Shardul ParthasarathyIllinois BIllinois A72-5
Andrew WangIllinois AIllinois B8410
Joel MilesMinnesotaNorthwestern A8410
Coby TranChicago BNorthwestern B9110
Zachary WerthIllinois CNotre Dame C111-5
Logan MathisSIUEIndiana B12510
Davis JohnsonPurdueNotre Dame A12610
Alex AkridgeIndiana ANotre Dame B13310
Ben KoberleinNotre Dame CIllinois C13310