Artist's conception of star formation

Stellar Science

New Clues in Cooking up Planets and Stars

An early peak at a forming star system reveals tantalizing clues about its origin.

Astronomy Questions & Answers

How Do Stars Die and How Long Do Stars Live?

Both the life and death of a star depend on its mass. Generally speaking, the more massive a star, the faster it burns its fuel and the shorter its life. The most massive stars meet their end in a supernova explosion after only a few million years of fusion, while the tiniest stars continue to feebly burn for upwards of a trillion years.