What is the approximate initial mass threshold relative to $M_{\odot}$ required for a star to become a supergiant?

Answer

Greater than $8 M_{\odot}$

The critical threshold distinguishing between the evolutionary paths leading to a standard giant and those leading to a supergiant is the star's initial mass compared to the Sun's mass ($M_{\odot}$). Stars that begin their lives with an initial mass up to approximately eight times the mass of the Sun ($8 M_{\odot}$) are destined to become red giants, which will proceed through helium and carbon fusion stages before shedding layers to become white dwarfs. Conversely, stars born significantly more massive, specifically those with initial masses greater than $8 M_{\odot}$, possess the gravitational potential to achieve the extreme conditions necessary for sustained, layered fusion of increasingly heavier elements, thereby qualifying them for the supergiant evolutionary track, whether they manifest as blue or red supergiants.

$What is the approximate initial mass threshold relative to $M_{\odot}$ required for a star to become a supergiant?$

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