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Red Hypergiant


A hypergiant (luminosity class 0 or Ia+) is among the very rare kinds of stars that typically show tremendous luminosities and very high rates of mass loss by stellar winds. The term hypergiant is defined as luminosity class 0 (zero) in the MKK system. However, this is rarely seen in the literature or in published spectral classifications, except for specific well-defined groups such as the yellow hypergiants, RSG (red supergiants), or blue B(e) supergiants with emission spectra. More commonly, hypergiants maybe classed as Ia-0 or Ia+, but red supergiants rarely receive these extra spectral classifications. Astronomers are mostly interested in these stars because they relate to understanding stellar evolution, especially with star formation, stability, and their expected demise as supernovae.

In 1956, the astronomers Feast and Thackeray used the term super-supergiant (later changed into hypergiant) for stars with an absolute magnitude brighter than MV = −7 (MBol will be larger for very cool and very hot stars, for example at least −9.7 for a B0 hypergiant). In 1971, Keenan suggested that the term would be used only for supergiants showing at least one broad emission component in , indicating an extended stellar atmosphere or a relatively large mass loss rate. The Keenan criterion is the one most commonly used by scientists today.

Observation of a highly luminous star is insufficient for it to be defined as a hypergiant. That requires the detection of the spectral signatures of atmospheric instability and high mass loss. So it is quite possible for non-hypergiant supergiant stars to have the same or higher luminosity as a hypergiant of the same spectral class. Additionally, hypergiants are expected to have characteristic broadening and red-shifting of their spectral lines producing a distinctive shape known as a P Cygni profile. The use of hydrogen emission is not helpful for defining the coolest hypergiants, and these are largely classified on luminosity since mass loss is almost inevitable for the class.


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