Astrophysics (Index)About

M dwarf

(small, cool main-sequence star in stellar class M)

An M dwarf is main-sequence M-type star. The term red dwarf definitely includes M dwarfs, but sometime that term is also meant to include some or all main-sequence K-type stars (K dwarfs). Early M dwarfs (the hotter ones) are now considered likely places to observe extra-solar planets within a habitable zone. M dwarfs are very common, comprising about three quarters of all main sequence stars, and it is estimated that about a quarter of them host a planet in their habitable zone. But given such stars' slow evolution, such planets are more likely to have experienced a period of high stellar activity (such as severe coronal mass ejections) long enough to remove the planet's atmosphere, less likely to leave the planet habitable. M dwarf examples include AD Leonis, Barnard's Star, G239-25, Lacaille 9352, Lalande 21185, LHS 1140, Ross 154, Ross 248, Scholz's Star, Teegarden's Star, TRAPPIST-1, and Wolf 359..


(star type)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_dwarf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_red_dwarfs
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/r/red+dwarf
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Starlog/reddwa.html
http://www.solstation.com/stars/pc10rds.htm
https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/R/reddwarf.html

Referenced by pages:
BCool
brown dwarf (BD)
Calar Alto Observatory
Capella
FGK star
G-dwarf problem
G239-25
HARPS
K2
Kepler-16b
Kepler-186f
Luyten 726-8
M-type star (M)
MUSCLES
OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb
PALMS
radial velocity method
RAMBO
red dwarf
SPECULOOS
SPIRou
stellar demographics
stellar remnant
stripped star
titanium (Ti)
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
variable star
WFCAM Transit Survey (WTS)
X-ray source

Index