asymptotic giant branch Archives

Assuming the presence of two companions, the orbital evolution of the HD 216595 system for 500 years from the best-fit orbit: (a) orbits of the system, (b) the evolution of the semi-major axes, and (c) the evolution of the eccentricities. Blue color indicates the inner companion and black color is the outer companion. -- [astro-ph.SR]

A Search For Exoplanets Around Northern Circumpolar Stars X. The Origin Of Radial Velocity Variations In The Evolved Star HD 216595

by Keith CowingJuly 24, 2026July 24, 2026

[astro-ph.SR] Detecting planetary companions around evolved stars, particularly asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, is challenging due to intrinsic stellar variability such as surface convection, pulsations, and mass loss, which can […]

Dust clouds reflect starlight around the star R Doradus. As it nears the end of its life, the star is shedding its outer layers, forming clouds of gas and dust around it (shown here in pink and yellow). Scientists have long believed that starlight illuminating these clouds could power a stellar wind. But the colour of the light around the star reflected by dust, , shows that the dust grains are too small to explain the star’s wind. The image was taken in polarised visible light with VLT/SPHERE. In the centre in yellow and orange, we see ALMA’s image showing the surface of the star. Credit ESO/T. Schirmer/T. Khouri; ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Interstellar, Panspermia, Press Release, Space Weather & Heliophysics

Stardust Study Resets How Life’s Atoms Spread Through Space

by Keith CowingDecember 29, 2025December 29, 2025

Starlight and stardust are not enough to drive the powerful winds of giant stars, transporting the building blocks of life through our galaxy. That’s the conclusion of a new study […]

Brightness distribution of the 13CO J=2−1 lines integrated over the velocity interval corresponding to the full width at zero intensity of the C18O J=2−1 lines. The contours show levels at 3, 5, 10, and 20 times the root mean square noise level of the image. -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report, Stellar Cartography

ALMA Observations of CO Isotopologues Towards Six Obscured post-AGB Stars

by Keith CowingJanuary 9, 2025January 9, 2025

Low- and intermediate-mass stars evolve through the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), when an efficient mass-loss process removes a significant fraction of their initial mass.

Gaia DR3 colour–absolute–magnitude diagram of stars within 100 pc of NGC 2264 identifying RW (>30 km s−1 , shown in red) and WW (>5 km s−1 , shown in blue) stars. The WW at the top right of the giant branch (Gaia DR3 3131012157848982272) is a likely AGB star. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Status Report

Isotopic Enrichment Of Planetary Systems From Asymptotic Giant Branch Star

by Keith CowingJuly 27, 2023July 27, 2023

Short-lived radioisotopes, in particular 26-Al and 60-Fe, are thought to contribute to the internal heating of the Earth, but are significantly more abundant in the Solar System compared to the […]

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release

Twinkling Stars Fuel Interstellar Dust

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2023April 6, 2023

Of the many different kinds of stars, asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, usually slightly larger and older than our own sun, are known producers of interstellar dust.