對質量大到足以點燃碳融合的主序星(大約8倍太陽質量)[7], p. 189,在許多地方都必須修改演化圖。在離開主序代之後,恆星的亮度不會增加太多,但是顏色會變得更紅。它們可成為紅超巨星,或是因為質量流失也可能使它們成為藍超巨星[10], pp. 33–35; [2]最後,它們將成為以氧和氖為主的白矮星,或是它會經歷核塌縮超新星形成中子星或是黑洞[7], § 7.4.4–7.8.。
^Giant star, entry in Cambridge Dictionary of Astronomy, Jacqueline Mitton, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-521-80045-5.
^ 5.05.1giant, entry in The Facts on File Dictionary of Astronomy, ed. John Daintith and William Gould, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 5th ed., 2006. ISBN 0-8160-5998-5.
^ 7.07.17.27.37.47.57.6Evolution of Stars and Stellar Populations, Maurizio Salaris and Santi Cassisi, Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2005. ISBN 0-470-09219-X.
^Blowing Bubbles in the Cosmos: Astronomical Winds, Jets, and Explosions, T. W. Hartquist, J. E. Dyson, and D. P. Ruffle, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-19-513054-5.