2MASS counterparts for OH/IR stars

But every star has recently been observed by the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS, <II/246>), which provides 0.2" quality positions, while those with |b|<=4.5{deg} have also been observed by the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX, <V/114>), which provides ~2" quality positions.

We use the MSX and/or IRAS coordinates to guide us to 2MASS counterparts for the 134 Arecibo OH/IR stars with images in the second release of the 2MASS Point Source Catalog. An unexpected by-product of having the J-H versus H-K_s_ plot generated from the 2MASS fluxes is the realization that most (~85%) of the redder OH/IR stars have detached circumstellar shells. We identify five objects that probably, by contrast, have "normal" shells, and we confirm the status of AU Vul as a protoplanetary nebula.