In an X-ray binary, as the compact object and the normal companion rotate

around their common centre of mass, the compact object is hidden behind the nor-
mal star once in every orbital period and the X-rays from the compact star is
obscured
and hence we observe a decrease in the intensity of the X-ray emission. Eclipse can
be either total or partial depending upon the disk geometry and inclination angle.
From the observations of eclipses we can determine the orbital period of the binary
pses are mostly bapehbete in earhanl

as

wes

Figure 4a shows the smooth change of the spin period due to the orbital motion of
the pulsar.
Figure 4b is the light curve of Cen X-3 which shows the eclipses

From this it is found that the orbital period of Cen X-3 is 2.09 days.

‘ay dips

X-ray dips are caused by the obscuration of the X-rays by the accretion stream
when it strikes the accretion disk. The height of this accretion stream at the
impact
region where it strikes the disk is higher than that of the other portions of the
disk.
The X-rays are obscured temporarily by the accretion stream. X-ray dips are seen
prior to the eclipse or just after the eclipse and are mostly observed in LMXBs.

Extended observations of these X-ray dippers show that the vertical disk struc-
ture evolves on much longer timescales.

Fig 5:Observation of X-ray dips and eclipses in EXO 0748-676 is shown below