Stars: Birth, Life, Death

This microcourse explains how stars are born from gas, how they evolve over billions of years, and how they end their lives as supernovae or black holes. Students will learn to interpret stellar spectra, understand the main sequence, and connect stellar mass to later stages such as red giants and white dwarfs. By the end, students will be able to describe the life cycle of a star, identify major evolutionary phases from observational clues, and explain why the Sun will eventually undergo a dramatic transformation. The course emphasizes clear physical reasoning and observational context suitable for beginners.