Obscured AGB Stars in the LMC

Abstract

We present results of a study of obscured Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC). In contrast with optically bright AGB stars (e.g. Blanco et al. 1980; Costa & Frogel 1996 and references therein) our sample of IRAS detected stars (Reid 1991; Wood et al. 1992; Loup et al. 1997; Zijlstra et al. 1996; van Loon et al. 1997a) represents stars that are in the very last stage of their AGB evolution. Elsewhere in this volume, Groenewegen reviews the magellanic AGB stars, and Trams et al. present first ISO results. Here we present results obtained from ground based observations.