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Star Life Cycle
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Red Giant
A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass which is in a later phase of its lifespan. In this stage, the star expands and cools after it runs out of hydrogen fuel.
Nebula
A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas where stars are born. Nebulae are primarily made of hydrogen, along with helium and other trace elements.
Protostar
A protostar is the earliest stage of star formation, when a dense region within a nebula collapses under its own gravity and begins to heat up, but nuclear fusion has not yet started.
Neutron Star/Black Hole
Depending on the mass, a star's core may collapse into a neutron star or a black hole after a supernova. A neutron star is incredibly dense, and a black hole's gravity is so strong not even light can escape.
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is a small very dense star that is typically the size of a planet. It is what remains after a red giant star sheds its outer layers and no further nuclear fusion occurs.
Supernova
A supernova is a transient astronomical event that occurs during the last stellar evolutionary stages of a star's life, whose dramatic and catastrophic destruction is marked by one final titanic explosion.
Main Sequence
The main sequence is the longest stage of a star's life, characterized by stable nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium. Our Sun is currently in this stage.
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