The Remarkable Evolution of the Post-Agb Star FG SGE

Abstract

FG Sagittae is one of the most important key objects of post-AGB stellar evolutionary studies. As a consequence of a final helium shell flash, this unique variable has shown real evolutionary changes on human time scales during this century. The observational history was reviewed in comparison with predictions from evolutionary models.The central star of the old planetary nebula (Hel-5) evolved from left to right in the HR diagram, going in just hundred years from the hot region of exciting sources of planetary nebulae to the cool red supergiant domain just before our eyes becoming a newly-born post-AGB star. The effective temperature of the star was around 50,000 K at the beginning of this century, and the last estimates in the late 1980s give 5,000-6,500 K. Recent spectroscopic observations obtained by Ingemar Lundström show definite changes in the nebular line intensities. This fact undoubtedly rules out the possibility that, instead of FG Sge, a hidden hot object would be the true central star of the nebula. Consequently, the observed evolutionary changes are connected with the evolution of a single star.