Three Different Modes of Stellar Death
Three different modes of stellar death are summarized in this schematic H–R diagram. The lowest-mass stars, the red dwarfs, live much longer than the present age of the universe. Medium-mass stars like the sun become giant stars and then collapse to become white dwarfs.

The most massive stars evolve rapidly to become supergiants and explode as supernovae, leaving behind either a neutron star or a black hole.