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Lifecycle of Stars

Resources

Cosmic Beacons May 21, 2010

Radio Programs

Rasalhague A preview of coming attractions May 7, 2023

Messier 13 Standing out in the galactic suburbs April 18, 2023

Alphard A long but barren constellation April 8, 2023

Procyon “Weighty” differences between stars February 18, 2023

The Dog’s Tail The big dog wags its tail January 15, 2023

Betelgeuse III Counting down the days for a supergiant January 11, 2023

Accio Stars A well-known family of stars January 8, 2023

Alpha Lacertae A star with a bright profile August 20, 2022

Beta Boötis Two stars with a lot in common July 30, 2022

Beta Cassiopeia Watching a star puff up July 9, 2022

Moon and the Sickle A perilous position for the Moon July 2, 2022

Carbon Factory A carbon factory in the lion June 22, 2022

Old Neighborhood A neighborhood of ancient stars April 30, 2022

Moon and Spica “Wiggle room” in the fate of a star March 19, 2022

‘Nu’ Stars “New” stars for the big dog February 5, 2022

The Dog’s Head Outlining the head of the big dog February 4, 2022

Colorful Butterfly Sculpting a cosmic butterfly January 29, 2022

Procyon A before-and-after pair of stars January 22, 2022

The River A footstool for the mighty hunter January 10, 2022

Capella Lining up a pair of bright stars November 21, 2021

Moon and Regulus A star that’s barely holding it together October 2, 2021

Moon and Aldebaran Brewing up a key element August 29, 2021

Markab The shoulder of the flying horse August 28, 2021

Astonishing Mira A “wonderful” star at its best August 3, 2021

Moon and the Scorpion The head of the scorpion gets brighter July 19, 2021

Moon and Spica Looking into a well-studied star July 16, 2021

Cat’s Eye Sculpting a stellar work of art April 10, 2021

Final Days Turning up the stellar oven April 8, 2021

Future Blasts Bright stars with brighter futures April 7, 2021

Moon and Spica An amazing star system follows the Moon March 28, 2021

Alphard The “solitary” star of the water snake February 27, 2021

Blue Stragglers Rejuvenating some old stars January 19, 2021

Procyon Whittling away at the stars January 17, 2021

Minimal Star A star that’s barely a star January 6, 2021

Moon and Spica A star with a fiery future December 9, 2020

Alpha Persei The leader of a young star cluster November 26, 2020

Making Carbon Making elements essential for life November 7, 2020

Andromeda II The last breath of a dying star November 5, 2020

Hamal Extra weight equals a shorter life October 24, 2020

Dumbbell Nebula A brilliant final act September 20, 2020

Altair A star that’s in the prime of life August 26, 2020

VX Sagittarii A monster among monsters August 18, 2020

Red Square A star’s beautiful demise July 7, 2020

Faint Neighbors Faint neighbors in the swan July 3, 2020

Stellar Flash A star that’s changing in a hurry May 21, 2020

Moon and Antares The amazing fate of a supergiant May 8, 2020

Mintaka Big stars with bigger futures March 13, 2020

Rotten Egg Nebula The rare and beautiful death of a star February 16, 2020

Crimson Star The color of a dying star February 14, 2020

Pollux Younger but “older” than the Sun December 7, 2019

The Whale’s Tail The tale of the tail of the whale November 21, 2019

Moon and Aldebaran Inflating a giant star October 17, 2019

Schedar A young star that’s near the end September 9, 2019

Cloudy Skies Flickering clouds near young stars March 29, 2019

Chara Looking into the Sun’s future March 25, 2019

Moon and Aldebaran Squeezing the heart of a star March 12, 2019

Lepus Hopping after the celestial rabbit February 3, 2019

Medusa Nebula A star exhales its final breath January 27, 2019

Lambda Draconis A star puffs up for a second time January 19, 2019

Sirius B The faint remnant of an impressive star December 27, 2018

Moon and Aldebaran Bullish outlook on planets December 20, 2018

Saturn Nebula A bubble that looks like a planet December 7, 2018

Helix Nebula Looking down a bright barrel November 14, 2018

Telling Tails The tail ends of two constellations October 13, 2018

Tarazed An aging star shines bright July 2, 2018

Moon and Spica Two stars with different fates April 27, 2018

Procyon A star at a transition point January 20, 2018

Stellar Kiss Two stars that may become one December 28, 2017

Life of the Sun Our constantly changing Sun December 9, 2017

Blue Snowball Lighting up a blue snowball October 26, 2017

Moon and Aldebaran The beginning of the end for a bright star October 8, 2017

Feedback Slowing down the stellar birth rate September 8, 2017

Making a Star Stages in the birth of a star September 7, 2017

Sakurai’s Object A “rebirth” for a dying star August 13, 2017

Alpha Lupi A bright star with a brighter future July 7, 2017

Cor Caroli Twins with different life expectancies March 25, 2017

More Lepus Revving up a massive star January 29, 2017

More Fornax Drinking from the fountain of youth January 20, 2017

Moon and Regulus Learning about a familiar star January 14, 2017

Featured Images

james webb telescope view of a planetary nebula

Dying Beauty July 13, 2022
carbon star cw leonis

Sooty Star June 22, 2022
Spirograph Nebula, in Lepus

Emerging from the Cocoon January 28, 2022
Star cluster M47

Blue Gems April 2, 2021
Hubble Space Telescope images of the Stingray Nebula taken 20 years apart

Fading Ray March 21, 2021
Life cycle of the Sun

Lifetime of a Star January 25, 2021
Helix Nebula

Last Gasp October 10, 2020
ALMA view of a newly forming planetary nebula

Double Spikes March 7, 2020
ngc 246, the skull nebula

Skull Nebula February 26, 2020
Rotten Egg Nebula

Death Throes February 16, 2020
a nebula surrounds a dying star

Beautiful Demise February 8, 2020
ESO 577-24, a planetary nebula

Skinny Corpse January 22, 2019
Saturn Nebula

Complicated Bubble December 7, 2018
Multi-spectral view of the Helix Nebula

Looking Down a Barrel November 14, 2018
Giant bubbles of hot gas form bright splotches on the surface of a red-giant star

Blobby Star December 26, 2017
Sakurai's Object

Flashy Star August 13, 2017
Visible and infrared image of Ring Nebula

Blowing Bubbles June 15, 2017
False-color image of the Boomerang Nebula, which is being created by a dying star

Cold Death June 7, 2017
Planetary nebula known as the Eskimo Nebula

Cyclops? November 29, 2015
Jets from a protostar in Serpens

Huffing and Puffng November 6, 2015
Hubble view of NGC 7662, a planetary nebula

Blue Snowball September 30, 2015
The Southern Owl Nebula, the last gasp of a dying star

Perfect Bubble August 5, 2015
Abell 78, a planetary nebula

Last Round July 28, 2015