Discover published sets by community

A very young star still in the process of formation, before nuclear fusion begins. Often found in stellar nurseries with a surrounding disk of gas and dust.

A star in the stable phase of its life cycle where it fuses hydrogen to helium in its core. Examples include the Sun, Sirius, and Alpha Centauri.

A luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution. Expands after hydrogen in the core is exhausted. Example: Aldebaran.

A small, dense remnant of a low or medium mass star that has exhausted its nuclear fuel. No more fusion occurs, and it slowly cools over time. Examples include Sirius B and Procyon B.

An extremely luminous star with a mass much greater than the Sun's and a radius up to 1000 times larger. Examples are Betelgeuse and Antares.

A compact stellar remnant with extremely high density, composed primarily of neutrons. Usually the result of a supernova explosion. Examples: PSR B1919+21, Crab Pulsar.

A powerful and luminous stellar explosion marking the end of a star's lifetime. Can briefly outshine entire galaxies. Examples: SN 1987A, SN 1054 (Crab Nebula progenitor).

A region of space with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Formed from the remnants of very massive stars. Examples include Cygnus X-1, Sagittarius A*.

Substellar objects with masses between the heaviest gas giant planets and the lightest stars. They lack sufficient mass to sustain nuclear fusion. Examples: Luhman 16, Epsilon Indi Ba and Bb.

A late-stage massive star expansion resulting in a supergiant with a reddish hue due to a cooler surface temperature. Often precedes a supernova. Example: Betelgeuse.

A hot, massive star with a high luminosity and a blue color, relatively rare due to their short lifespans. Examples include Rigel, Alnilam.

A rare, massive, hot star characterized by a strong wind that sheds its outer layer rapidly, an indicator of a star nearing the end of its life. Examples: WR 104, Gamma2 Velorum.

A supernova resulting from a white dwarf in a binary system accreting enough mass to reach the Chandrasekhar limit and undergo a thermonuclear explosion. Example: SN 1994D.

A supernova resulting from the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star after fusion has ceased in its core. Example: SN 1987A.

Two stars orbiting around a common center of mass. The stars can be of varying types and distances apart. Examples: Alpha Centauri, Sirius.

A star whose brightness as seen from Earth fluctuates. This can be due to intrinsic variability or eclipsing binaries. Examples: Cepheids, RR Lyrae stars.

A small, cool, very long-lived star on the main sequence that burns its fuel very slowly and has a red tint. Most common type of star in the Milky Way. Example: Proxima Centauri.

One of the most massive and luminous types of stars, very rare and extremely bright with a high rate of mass loss. Examples include UY Scuti, VY Canis Majoris.

A theoretical stellar remnant that occurs when a white dwarf has sufficiently cooled and no longer emits significant heat or light. None exist currently due to the universe's age.