Stars

Luminous spheres of plasma held together by their own gravity, each star is born out of the collapse of gaseous nebula and develops a core that radiates astounding amounts of energy, the result of thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, through its interior and across outer space. Ever-expanding, the star throws off mass, which helps form new stars, while the core begins to collapse, becoming a white dwarf, a neutron star, or even a black hole. Multiply this single star by 300 sextillion and you see how much drama and energy exist in the universe. The sheer wonder and power of stars is on full display here, with stunning high-definition photographs, intricate computer renderings, cutaway diagrams, and infographics.