Star Life Cycle
Although stars may seem like permanent fixtures in the sky, they are actually very dynamic objects. Stars grow old and die, while new stars are being formed all throughout the universe.
This lesson is designed to help you learn about this process. It will discuss where stars come from, how they form, what keeps them going and what happens to them after they die. It will also show how the birth and death of stars is responsible for creating most of the elements that make up the earth and the rest of the universe.
The lesson is divided up into five sections, each one discussing a particular topic in astrophysics or a specific period in a star's life cycle.
Learn about how astronomers study the stars and how things like light and color allow them to understand the way stars develop.
Find out where stars come from and what factors determine the kind of star they turn into.
Learn more about the longest phase of a star's life and about the reactions that keep stars burning for millions of years.
Find out about all the different things that can happen to a star as it begins to grow old.
Discover what happens to a star after it dies. Many of the most mysterious objects in the universe are not true stars, but the remains of stars that have long since died.
In addition to the main lesson, further information and definitions of key terms can be found in the appendix section.