Clouds around RY Sagittarii

Images of the star RY Sagittarii, member of the class of R Coronae Borealis stars, obtained with the NACO instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope at two different epochs and at two different wavelengths. The left image was obtained on 24 May 2003 at a wavelength of 2.2 microns, and the right image on 17 September 2003 at 4 microns. Both images reveal strong deformations, the signatures of large clouds in the envelope surrounding the star. This was the first time these clouds were discovered around a R Coronae Borealis star, confirming the Dust Puff theory.