Low-mass stars (like our Sun):
* End stage: White dwarf
* Process: The star sheds its outer layers in a planetary nebula, leaving behind a dense, hot core that slowly cools over billions of years.
Medium-mass stars:
* End stage: Neutron star
* Process: The star explodes as a supernova, leaving behind a rapidly spinning, incredibly dense core made almost entirely of neutrons.
High-mass stars:
* End stage: Black hole
* Process: The star explodes as a supernova, leaving behind a singularity with such strong gravity that nothing, not even light, can escape.
Other possibilities:
* Supernova remnants: These are clouds of gas and dust ejected by the supernova explosion.
* Pulsar: A rapidly rotating neutron star that emits beams of radiation.
In summary:
* Low-mass stars: White dwarfs
* Medium-mass stars: Neutron stars
* High-mass stars: Black holes
Note: There are other, rarer outcomes for stellar death, such as magnetars and quark stars, but these are less common than the three main outcomes listed above.
