Is the Rigel star a high mass star or a low mass star?

Question:

Is the Rigel star a high mass star or a low mass star?

Final Answer:

The Rigel star, found in the Orion constellation, is a high mass, incredibly luminous star—being significantly more massive and luminous than our Sun due to the mass-luminosity relation.

The Rigel star is a high mass star. Stars come in various sizes, ranging from 1/12 solar masses (Msun) to around 100-200 Msun. A significant determinant of their place in the main sequence is their mass. As a reference, in the Orion constellation, Rigel appears as a giant blue star and is significantly more massive than our Sun. Rigel is also very luminous, another characteristic in direct relation with its mass, known as the mass-luminosity relation. This relation posits that the most massive stars are usually also the most luminous.