Diffraction-limited Speckle-Masking Interferometry of the Red Supergiant VY CMa

Abstract

We present the first diffraction-limited images of the mass-loss envelope of the red supergiant star VY CMa. The two-dimensional optical and NIR images were reconstructed from 3.6 m telescope speckle data using bispectrum speckle interferometry. At the wavelengths ~0.8 \mum (RG 780 filter), 1.28 \mum, and 2.17 \mum the diffraction-limited resolutions of 46 mas, 73 mas, and 124 mas were achieved. All images clearly show that the circumstellar envelope of VY CMa is non-spherical. The RG 780, 1.28 \mum, and 2.17 mum FWHM Gauss fit diameters are 67 mas * 83 mas, 80 mas * 116 mas and 138 mas * 205 mas, respectively, or 100 AU * 125 AU, 120 AU * 174 AU and 207 AU * 308 AU (for a distance of 1500 pc). We discuss several interpretations for the asymmetric morphology. Combining recent results about the angular momentum evolution of red supergiants and their pulsational properties, we suggest that VY CMa is an immediate progenitor of IRC +10420, a post red supergiant during its transformation into a Wolf-Rayet star.