Stellar Evolution at the Summit of the Main Sequence

Abstract

The fate of the most massive stars is an area fraught with uncertainty and is not without controversy. The stakes are high when it comes to this area of astrophysics, as some of the universe’s most exciting and violent phenomena are associated with these rarest of objects. Like ephemeral diamonds, these singular stars provoke intense emotions among those who research them, emotions that can flare like the stars themselves. Consequently, this is a tricky chapter to write if one is to cover the current research adequately and without favor or bias (Fig. 3.1).