Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 April 2016
The existence of red supergiants such as those in the clusters h and χ Persei has puzzled stellar evolution theoreticians for some time. Suggested explanations for them have included stars in a stage of gravitational contraction to the main sequence, or between nuclear burnings, core helium burning stars, and stars burning carbon or oxygen in the core, but it is now generally accepted that most red supergiants are core helium burning stars.