Scioly.org

Question Marathon for Astronomy C.

What mass range of stars can form Mira variables?

alpacas wrote:What mass range of stars can form Mira variables?

Low-mass? Doesn't it need to fuse He to become a Mira?

According to the Wikipedia page temps have to be 10^8 K in order to fuse Helium via the triple-alpha process.

Crazy Puny Man wrote:Low-mass? Doesn't it need to fuse He to become a Mira?

According to the Wikipedia page temps have to be 10^8 K in order to fuse Helium via the triple-alpha process.

That's why I said solar-mass/low-mass. Like I'd admit a red dwarf probably wouldn't become a Mira, but technically I think as an example the Sun is a low-mass star (which is basically why I asked whether the person wants a more specific range...didn't want to bother getting out my notes ). My notes say 0.6 to a few solar masses as a more exact range.

I was going for 0.8 to 2 solar masses so I think those answers make sense

Good enough!

Next question, hopefully this isn't one of my...worst questions: What is the Baade-Wesselink method used to determine?

Its like the change in radius for pulsating variables right

alpacas wrote:Its like the change in radius for pulsating variables right

That's the main thing. But you can use it for SNe too, I think? I believe it's also useful in calibrating standard candles. Good job, wasn't sure how many people knew of it. You go.

ok, what is the r-process? What DSOs from this year's rules might eventually have (or have had) the r-process?

Also are these questions supposed to be more like concept or trivia based?