Massive stars are extreme cosmic engines, enriching their environments with chemically processed material throughout their entire life-time, and triggering star and planet formation. Despite their importance for the cosmic evolution, their evolutionary path up to their deaths as spectacular supernova explosions is most uncertain due to the lack of precise knowledge of the physical mechanisms behind mass eruptions.

The aim of this workshop is to gather experts in a diversity of fields to discuss the progress in massive star research, with focus on the transition phases (LBVs, B/B[e] supergiants, YHGs). Confronting most recent results from theoretical approaches with observations acquired from world renowned facilities, satellites, as well as local, national telescopes, we will infer about the pulsation properties of the objects, improve their stellar parameters, and investigate the structure and dynamics of their winds and large-scale ejecta. Further subjects for discussion are the mutual link between pulsations and mass loss and the role of binarity for the evolution of massive stars and for shaping ejecta.

The Workshop is organized by Wolfgang Glatzel (chair), Institute for Astrophysics, University of Göttingen, Germany (wglatze (at) astro.physik.uni-goettingen.de)

Due to the still ongoing pandemics, the Workshop will be held fully virtually. The zoom link for joining will be provided to confirmed participants.