Stars are huge balls of hot gases, mostly hydrogen and helium, that shine by burning energy.
The Sun is the closest star to Earth and the most important for life.
Stars are studied through a science called astronomy.
Telescopes help scientists and astronomers observe distant stars from Earth or space.
Some stars are much bigger or smaller than the Sun.
Stars are grouped into galaxies—our galaxy is called the Milky Way.
Stars go through a life cycle: they are born, shine for millions of years, and then die.
A star can end its life as a white dwarf, neutron star, or even a black hole.
Light from the nearest stars takes years to reach us—this is called light years.
Exploring stars helps us learn about the universe’s age, size, and how it began.