The life cycle of stars is a fascinating journey that reveals the complex processes governing our universe. Stars are born in nebulae, vast clouds of gas and dust. Under the influence of gravity, these materials clump together, forming protostars. As the protostar's core heats up, nuclear fusion ignites, leading to the birth of a star.

Throughout their lives, stars spend most of their time in the main sequence phase, where they fuse hydrogen into helium. This stage can last billions of years, depending on the star's mass. As stars exhaust their hydrogen fuel, they enter the red giant phase, expanding and cooling.

Eventually, low-mass stars shed their outer layers, creating beautiful planetary nebulae, while their cores become white dwarfs. More massive stars undergo supernova explosions, leaving behind neutron stars or black holes. This stellar evolution enriches the universe with heavy elements, essential for forming planets and life as we know it.