Observation by Damian Peach: R Leporis and R Sculptoris

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Observer

Damian Peach

Observed

2015 Sep 05 - 23:00

Uploaded

2015 Sep 11 - 13:22

Objects

R-Lep
R-Scl

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Constellation

Lepus

Field centre

RA: 04^h59^m
Dec: -14°32'
Position angle: +87°54'

Field size

0°45' × 0°25'

Equipment

Location

Siding Springs, Australia

Target name

R Sculptoris

Title

R Leporis and R Sculptoris

About this image

Damian Peach has been seeing red! He has submitted two excellent images this week, one showing the strikingly deep red coloured star, R Sculptoris and the second Hind's Crimson Star (R Leporis). We have combined them in this image to show them both off to their full advantage. Both are carbon stars, which are similar to red giants whose upper layers contain more carbon than oxygen; the two elements combining to form carbon monoxide, which consumes all the oxygen, leaving carbon atoms free to form other carbon compounds and giving the star a "sooty" atmosphere and a strikingly red appearance.

R Leporis was famously described by Hind as appearing as a "drop of blood." It is 1300ly away and is also a long period variable.

R Sculptoris also has a spiral of gas surrounding it caused by a close companion star (photographed by ALMA a few years ago.)

Files associated with this observation

wk37_15_R_sculp_RLep_peach.jpg (1.9 MB)

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