Radio Stars: Evolving Shapes of Giants

Even with the most powerful optical telescopes, the closest stars beyond the Sun generally appear as mere pinpoints of light, leaving us to only imagine what their light-emitting surfaces or "photospheres" might look like. However, using a technique known as radio interferometry, astronomers are now able to glimpse the faces of certain types of stars known as asymptotic giant branch stars (or "AGB stars" for short). What's more, the appearances of these AGB stars are seen to change over time.

In this podcast, hear how astronomers are using radio interferometry to gain fascinating insights into what the future has in store for stars like the Sun as they reach old age.