Life cycle of a star
Black hole
Exerts such a gravitational pull that no light can escape. Result of the highest mass stars.
Protostar
Gravity pulls gases and dust together and nuclear fusion starts
Main sequence star
Hydrogen is fusing into Helium. The longest stage in a star's life.
Supernova
The stage in a high mass star's life, after the red super giant expands it collapses in its self so rapidly that when it is done it explodes outwards.
Red super giant
The stage in a high mass star, it is very similar to the red giant but it expands faster, lasts longer, and gets bigger than the red giant. Helium is fusing into Carbon.
Neutron star
This is a star so dense that one table spoon would weigh as mush as 10 suns! Called a Pulsar if it spins.
Nebula
Cloud of gas and dust where stars are born
Red giant
The stage in a low mass star's life, after the star has used up all it's hydrogen, it starts to cool and expand in an effort to start fusing helium atoms. Helium is fusing into Carbon.
White dwarf
The stage in a low mass stars life, the remains of the red giant is a glowing ball of gas about the size of earth. Nuclear fusion has stopped and the gas begins to cool.
Black dwarf
The stage of a low mass star, the gases have stopped glowing and all that remains is a dark piece of space rock, our sun will end its life like this.
Life cycle of an average sized star.
nebula, protostar, main sequence star, red giant, planetary nebula, white dwarf, black dwarf
Life cycle of a massive sized star.
nebula, protostar, main sequence star, red super giant, supernova, black hole or neutron star