For smaller stars (like our Sun):
* White dwarf: The most common outcome. The core of the star collapses under gravity, becoming incredibly dense but small, about the size of the Earth. It then slowly cools and fades over billions of years.
For larger stars (more massive than our Sun):
* Neutron star: If the star is massive enough, the core collapses even further, squeezing protons and electrons together to form neutrons. This results in a super-dense object, only a few miles across, with incredibly strong gravity.
* Black hole: If the star is extremely massive (several times the mass of our Sun), the collapse is so extreme that gravity becomes so powerful that nothing, not even light, can escape its pull. This forms a black hole.
Other possibilities:
* Supernova: The death of a massive star is often accompanied by a spectacular explosion called a supernova. This releases immense amounts of energy and creates heavy elements that are scattered across the universe.
* Planetary nebula: As a medium-sized star sheds its outer layers, it can create a beautiful, expanding shell of gas and dust called a planetary nebula.
It's important to note that the final fate of a star is determined by its initial mass and its composition.
