Harshita Sinha
Stars are born from giant molecular clouds. As the cloud collapses, it begins to spin faster and faster, eventually forming a protostar.
As the protostar collapses, it reaches the main sequence. This is the stage where the star fuses hydrogen into helium, releasing energy in the form of light and heat.
Heat ghee in a pan.
As the star runs out of hydrogen fuel, it expands into a red giant. This phase can last millions of years, during which the star loses about half its mass.
Once the red giant sheds its outer layers, it leaves behind a hot, compact core known as a white dwarf. At this point, the star has exhausted all its fuel sources.
For more massive stars, the end of their life cycle is marked by a catastrophic explosion known as a supernova. This explosion can briefly outshine an entire galaxy.
The remnants of a star's death can be just as fascinating as its life. Neutron stars and black holes are the incredibly dense objects that can form from a star's core.
From protostar to white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole, the life cycle of stars is a fascinating journey through space and time.