Astrophysics (Index)About

red dwarf

(small, cool main-sequence star)

A red dwarf is a small main sequence star, generally an M-type star (M dwarf). Sometimes the term is used to include some or all main-sequence K-type stars (K dwarfs), but K dwarfs can be referred to as orange dwarfs. The red-dwarf mass range is from 0.075 to about 0.5 solar masses and their surface temperature is 2000-4000 K. Red dwarfs make up about 75% of the stars in the Milky Way, and many of the nearest stars are red dwarfs. They have become of interest in the search for habitable extra-solar planets because there are so many (thus, as a group, they host many planets), so many are close (allowing planet study), and their relative dimness is conducive to direct imaging of the planets. On the other hand, they can be quite active and the habitable zone is close to the star, making otherwise-habitable planets less so. Red dwarf examples:


(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:
16 Cygni (16 Cyg)
AD Leonis (AD Leo)
Alpha Centauri (α Centauri)
Barnard's Star
California-Kepler Survey (CKS)
convection zone
Deep Multicolor Survey (DMS)
dredge-up
G239-25
GaiaNIR
giant star
GJ 1214 b
Gliese 436 b (GJ 436 b)
Gliese-Jahreiss Catalog (GJ)
habitability
Hayashi track
HD 114762
HD 189733 b
Henyey track
K2
K2-18b
Kapteyn's Star
L-type star (L)
Lacaille 9352
Lalande 21185
LHS 1140
LHS 3844 b
low mass star (LMS)
M dwarf
M-type star (M)
main sequence star (MS)
MEarth Project (MEarth)
NGC 3201
NIRPS
post-main-sequence star
proton-proton chain
Proxima b
rare designator prefixes
red-giant branch (RGB)
reddening
Ross 154
Ross 248
Scholz's Star
SPIRou
stellar core
stellar structure
Teegarden's Star
TOI 700 d
TRAPPIST-1
variable star
water (H2O)
Wolf 359

Index