The Helix Nebula (Photo by NASA)Although stars may seem like permanent fixtures in the sky, they are actually very dynamic objects. Stars grow old and die, while new stars are being formed all throughout the universe.

This lesson is designed to help you learn about this process. It will discuss where stars come from, how they form, what keeps them going and what happens to them after they die. It will also show how the birth and death of stars is responsible for creating most of the elements that make up the earth and the rest of the universe.

The lesson is divided up into five sections, each one discussing a particular topic in astrophysics or a specific period in a star's life cycle.

In addition to the main lesson, further information and definitions of key terms can be found in the appendix section.

Appendix

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