Stars are born from clouds of gas and dust called nebulae. These nebulae slowly collapse under the force of gravity, creating a dense core known as a protostar. As the protostar gathers more material, it begins to generate energy through nuclear fusion in its core. This marks the birth of a star. Throughout its main sequence stage, a star will steadily burn hydrogen, radiating energy and heat. The duration of this stage varies based on the star's size, with smaller stars lasting billions of years and larger stars burning through their fuel much quicker. When a star depletes its hydrogen fuel, it moves onto the next stage of its life cycle. Small stars like the sun will expand into red giants, while larger stars may explode in a spectacular supernova. The remnants of these explosions can form neutron stars or black holes. Ultimately, the fate of a star is determined by its initial mass. Smaller stars will shed their outer layers to form planetary nebulae before cooling into white dwarfs. Massive stars will end their lives in a violent explosion, scattering heavy elements across the cosmos. Studying the life cycles of stars helps astronomers understand the processes that shape our universe and the creation of elements essential for life.