red giants
The Stellar Demolition Derby in the Centre of the Galaxy
The region near the Milky Way's centre is dominated by the supermassive black hole that resides there. Sagittarius A*'s overwhelming…
Each Planetary Nebula is Unique. Why Do They Look So Different?
When it comes to cosmic eye candy, planetary nebulae are at the top of the candy bowl. Like fingerprints—or maybe…
Twinkling Stars Supply the Dust That Leads to Life
A team of Japanese astronomers has found a connection between the dustiness of Red Giant stars and changes in their…
The Oldest and Coldest White Dwarf Ever Found has Bizarre Dust Rings Around it
A citizen scientist recently discovered a white dwarf star that has multiple dust rings, a finding which could force a…
Seeing Red: Hunting Herschel’s Garnet Star
Quick, what’s the reddest star visible to the naked eye? Depending on your sky conditions, your answer may well be…
The Contributor to SN 2011fe
[/caption] When discovered on August 24, 2011, supernova 2011fe was the closest supernova since the famous SN 1987A. Located in…
Plausibility Check – Habitable Planets around Red Giants
[/caption] While planets orbiting twin stars are a staple of science fiction, another is having humans live on planets orbiting…
ω Centauri’s Red Giants Confirm Stellar Evolution Models
[/caption] While science education often focuses on teaching the scientific method (or at least tries to), the real process of…
Second-Generation Star Supports Cannibal Theory of Milky Way
[/caption] A newly discovered red giant star is a relic from the early universe -- a star that may have…
Red Giant Brightness Variations Still Mysterious
[/caption] Like everything else in the Universe, stars get old. As they become older, stars like our own Sun "puff…