Animation of an Interacting Binary Star (Cataclysmic Variable)

[950horsepower]

I think that we understand the potential electron activity well enough now that a simple matter stream does not fill the bill anymore. Gravity being the weak force, is vastly outpaced by a chaos of traveling electric charges, the power of which would transfer proportionally, much larger amounts of matter, positive to negative, than what is illustrated here. Although it is logical to assume that this illustrates one part of that transfer perfectly, no visible deformation is expected.

[magarlick]

Hiya. Yes, it's a good idea. These systems are quite varied, however, so there isn't really a single lightcurve that describes them all. There might be (or not) an orbital modulation. And in some magnetic systems known as intermediate polars, you see a spin modulation as well, from the rotation of the highly magnetized white dwarf, but the discs in these systems looks a little different to the one shown here.

[marginallymental]

Very nice. It'd be neat, too, for idiots like me, if the system's lightcurve was incuded, and perhaps the inclination lessened along with the corresponding lightcurve.