suggestion is that R Scuti is still a thermally pulsing AGB star, consistent with calculated levels of mass loss. The evolutionary status of R Scuti is uncertain and estimates of the mass vary wildly. RV Tau variables as post-AGB stars are expected to have masses near or below that of the sun and this is confirmed for a number of RV Tau stars in binary systems. Old estimates based simply on the supergiant luminosity class gave much higher masses. See also List of variable stars Type II Cepheid References External links AAVSO: Quick Look View of AAVSO Observations (get recent magnitude estimates for R Sct) Scutum (constellation) RV Tauri variables G-type supergiants K-type supergiants M-type supergiants Scuti, R 173819 J18472894-0542185 092202 BD−05 4760 TIC objects