What are the remains of stars?

The remains of stars are like the bones or shells that stay after a big creature grows old and dies.

When a star is born, it shines bright because it's burning fuel inside itself, kind of like how a campfire burns logs. But when a star gets older and runs out of fuel, it can't shine as brightly anymore. So it "dies", but not in the way we usually think about dying.

Sometimes, when a star dies, it leaves behind something called a remnant, that's like the leftover part after the big show is over.

• Some stars become white dwarfs, which are tiny and dense, almost like a rock made of super strong stuff.
• Bigger stars might collapse into neutron stars, which are so tight, they're like a whole star squeezed into something about the size of a city.
• The biggest stars might even create black holes, which are so heavy that not even light can escape them.

So, when you look up at the sky and see stars, remember, some of them might be ancient, leaving behind cool and strange remains just like old creatures leave bones.