How Stars are made

• Nebulae


  Clouds of dust and gas from which stars form
• Star formation


  1. Gravity pulls dust and gas together to form a protostar

  2. As the protostar grows, its gravity increases, attracting more dust and gas

  3. The protostar's density and temperature rise, leading to nuclear fusion

  4. Nuclear fusion releases energy, creating a stable main sequence star
• Main Sequence Stars


  • Balance outward pressure from nuclear fusion with inward gravitational pressure
  • This stable phase can last for billions of years, like our sun
  • Eventually, the star runs out of hydrogen fuel and can no longer do nuclear fusion
• White Dwarf


  • A hot, dense, solid core that no longer does nuclear fusion
  • Over time, the white dwarf cools and darkens, eventually becoming a black dwarf
• Supernova


  • Red supergiants undergo more nuclear fusion, shining brightly before exploding
  • Supernovas create elements heavier than iron and eject them into the universe
  • Depending on the star's size, it condenses into a neutron star or collapses into a black hole