Launchpad: Life Cycle of a Star
Each of us is made from star stuff. But how are stars formed? Take a closer look at the life cycles of stars and learn where stars come from, how they change, and what happens to stars when their lives come to an end. Find out about your connection to the cosmos.
Discussion and writing prompts
1. All stars begin in giant clouds of gas and dust, but not all stars end their lives the same way. Why is a star's mass one of the most important factors in determining its life cycle? Compare the life cycle of a Sun-like star with that of a massive star. Explain how their different masses influence their evolution and final stages, and why those differences matter to astronomers.
2. The video explains that many of the elements found in Earth, and in our own bodies, were created inside stars. What does this idea tell us about the connection between stars, planets, and life?
3. Astronomers cannot watch a single star complete its entire life cycle because stars live for millions to billions of years. How are scientists able to determine the stages of a star's life despite this challenge? Imagine you are an astronomer studying stars at different stages of their lives. Describe the types of evidence (such as a star's color, brightness, temperature, or spectra) that you would collect. Explain how comparing many stars helps scientists build models of stellar evolution.
Background Information
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Instrument Systems Engineer Dr. Begona Vila (video)
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA Star Basics (webpage)
- NASA Stars Types (webpage)
- NASA Star LIfecycle (webpage)
- NASA Life Cycles of Sun-like and Massive Stars (webpage)
- NASA Science Visualization Studio Inside Out (webpage)
- NASA Science Visualization Studio Star Burst (webpage)
- NASA Science Visualization Studio The Youngest Stars Ever (webpage)
Grades 9 through 12
- Chandra X-Ray Observatory Pulsating Variable Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram (webpage)
Activities
Grades 3 through 12
Grades 5 through 12
- NASA WebbVR: The James Webb Space Telescope Virtual Experience (interactive)
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Imagine the Universe - Life Cycles of Stars (webpage)
- Smithsonian Journey Through an Exploded Star (webpage)
Grades 8 through 12
- NASA eClips Guide Lites: Stars (pdf)
Grades 9 through 12
- Our Cosmic Connection Stellar Evolution (webpage)