thanks Bill, Brent
Learn something new every day in this game.
Following is a cut from ''Sky and Telescope':
'Most carbon stars are red giants, one of the reasons for their ruddy hue. Much of the star's red complexion comes from carbon in its atmosphere. Stars generate light and heat by nuclear reactions, converting hydrogen into helium in their cores. As a Sun-like star ages, its core compresses and heats up until it can cook helium nuclei into carbon. Convective currents dredge carbon from the core and deliver it to the star's outer layers where it forms a fine soot that scatters away blue and green light. Only oranges and reds penetrate the dusty barrier to reach our eyes.'
And this is exciting: I sent an email to some dude, who maintains a database of carbon stars, in an effort to find out if they are known about.
