Problems posed by massive stars
Massive stars affect their surroundings profoundly — and far more than any of their stellar brethren. Astronomers still ponder many mysteries that surround these rare beasts.
If you were an astronomer seeking to make your name — or simply to advance our knowledge of the cosmos — what would you study? These questions were at least part of the motivation when CÓÅssio Barbosa of Brazil's University of SÓ?o Paulo and Donald Figer of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore surveyed observers and theorists to see what they believed were the most pressing problems concerning massive stars. The list serves as a valuable reference, particularly for scientists entering the field.