Red-giant branch Red-giant branch The red-giant branch (RGB), sometimes called the first giant branch, is the portion of the giant branch before helium ignition occurs in the course of stellar evolution. It is a stage that follows the main sequence for low- to intermediate-mass stars. Red-giant-branch stars have an inert helium core surrounded by a shell of hydrogen fusing via the CNO cycle. They are K- and M-class stars much larger and more luminous than main-sequence stars of the same temperature. Red giants were identified early in the 20th century when the use of the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram made it clear that there
Sudarsky's gas giant classification to reflection by the cloud decks. At such temperatures, a gas giant may glow red from thermal radiation but the reflected light generally overwhelms thermal radiation. For stars of visual apparent magnitude under 4.50, such planets are theoretically visible to our instruments. Examples of such planets might include 51 Pegasi b and Upsilon Andromedae b. HAT-P-11b and those other extrasolar gas giants found by the Kepler telescope might be possible class V planets, such as Kepler-7b, HAT-P-7b, or Kepler-13 b. Sudarsky's gas giant classification Sudarsky's classification of gas giants for the purpose of predicting their appearance based on their temperature