The Astrosphere of the Asymptotic Giant Branch Star Irc+10216
  We have discovered a very extended shock structure (i.e., with a diameter of
about 24 arcmin) surrounding the well-known carbon star IRC+10216 in
ultraviolet images taken with the GALEX satellite. We conclude that this
structure results from the interaction of IRC+10216's molecular wind with the
interstellar medium (ISM), as it moves through the latter. All important
structural features expected from theoretical models of such interactions are
identified: the termination shock, the astrosheath, the astropause, the
bowshock, and an astrotail (with vortices). The extent of the astropause
provides new lower limits to the envelope age (69,000 years) and mass (1.4
solar masses, for a mass-loss rate of 2 x 10^(-5) solar masses/year). From the
termination-shock standoff distance, we find that IRC+10216 is moving at a
speed of about > 91 km/s [1 cm^(-3)/n_(ISM)]^1/2 through the local ISM.
