Algol (β Persei) is a triple-star system (Algol A, B, and C) in the constellation Perseus, in which the large and bright primary Algol A is regularly eclipsed by the dimmer Algol B every 2.87 days. The eclipsing binary pair is separated by only 0.062 astronomical units (AU) from each other, so close in fact that Algol A is slowly consuming the less massive Algol B by continually stripping off Algol B's outer layers. This animation was assembled from 55 images of the CHARA interferometer in the near-infrared H-band, sorted according to orbital phase.
