![]() Neutron star or black holeĭepending on the mass at the start of its life, a supernova will leave behind either a neutron star or a black hole. Massive stars are characterized by a short main-sequence star stage as they then expand to become giant stars. SupernovaĪ larger star with more mass will go on making nuclear reactions, getting hotter and expanding until it explodes as a supernova.Īn exploding supernova throws hot gas into space. In this instance, the star becomes a white dwarf which fades and changes colour as it cools. When all the nuclear reactions are over, a small star like the Sun may begin to contract under the pull of gravity. When all the hydrogen has been used up in the fusion process, larger nuclei begin to form and the star may expand to become a red giant. The Sun is at this stable phase in its life. Main sequence starĭuring this stable phase in the life of a star, the force of gravity holding the star together is balanced by higher pressure due to the high temperatures. The fusion process releases energy, which keeps the core of the star hot. A star is formed when it is hot enough for the hydrogen nuclei to fuse together to make helium. Basics Types Multiple Star Systems Planetary Systems Gallery On this page Introduction Main Sequence Stars Red Giant White Dwarf Neutron Stars Red Dwarfs Brown Dwarfs Types of Stars NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of our 4.6-billion-year-old Sun, a main sequence star. ProtostarĪs the mass falls together it gets hot. Gravity begins to pull the dust and gas together. ![]() This upper limit is not well-defined and may be up to 5 solar masses in some models. Red super giant star \(\rightarrow\) supernova \(\rightarrow\) neutron star, or a black hole (depending on size) A nebulaĪ star forms from massive clouds of dust and gas in space, also known as a nebula. Other examples include Cen, similar to the Sun, the cooler, redder and fainter Proxima Cen and hot. Stars that are far greater in mass than the Sun follow the right hand path: ![]() Red giant star \(\rightarrow\) white dwarf \(\rightarrow\) black dwarf Stars that are a similar size to the Sun follow the left hand path: Following this, stars develop in different ways depending on their size. A cloud of dust and gas, also known as a nebula, becomes a protostar, which goes on to become a main sequence star. The diagram shows the life cycles of stars that are:Īll stars begin life in the same way. The life cycle for a particular star depends on its size. ![]()
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