Massive stars

During their helium-burning phase, very high mass stars with more than nine solar masses increased to form red supergiants. Once this fuel is exhausted at the core, they can carry on to fuse elements heavier than helium. The core contracts until the temperature and pressure are enough to fuse carbon. This process continues, with the consecutive stages being fueled by oxygen, neon, silicon, and sulfur. Near the end of the star's life, fusion can occur along a series of onion-layer shells within the star. Each shell fuses a different element, with the outermost shell fusing hydrogen; the next shell fusing helium, and so forth.The final stage is reached when the star begins producing iron. Since iron nuclei are more tightly bound than any heavier nuclei, if they are fused they do not release energy — the process would, on the contrary, consume energy. Likewise, since they are more tightly bound than all lighter nuclei, energy cannot be free by fission.In relatively old, very massive stars, a large core of inert iron will accumulate in the center of the star. The heavier elements in these stars can work their way up to the surface, forming evolved objects known as Wolf-Rayet stars that have a dense stellar wind which sheds the outer atmosphere.