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Every star has a life cycle — it is born, it lives, and eventually it dies. The path a star takes through its life depends almost entirely on one factor: its mass at formation. This lesson traces the complete life cycle of stars, from their birth in vast clouds of gas and dust to their final remnants — white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes.
Stars form in vast clouds of gas and dust called nebulae (singular: nebula). These clouds are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, with traces of heavier elements. A typical star-forming nebula may span tens of light years and contain enough material to form thousands of stars.
Star formation begins when a region of the nebula becomes dense enough for gravity to overcome the outward pressure of the gas. This can be triggered by:
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