When we look at the distant Universe, we are looking back in time. The light from many of the stars we see has taken billions of years to reach us on the Earth. This means we can see stars and the galaxies they inhabit at different stages of their lives. A star looks different depending on its age and can eventually be transformed into a different type of object such as a neutron star or black hole.
This section gathers together many of the important types of object that have been detected.
Image: A composite X-ray, visible light and infrared view of Kepler's supernova remnant (credit: NASA/ESA/Johns Hopkins University)
Black holes
The collapsed remains of massive stars are regions of powerful gravity.
Cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB)
Traces of the early Universe are found.
Extrasolar planets
Hundreds of planets have been found orbiting other stars.
Galaxies
Gravity gathers stars, gas, dust and dark matter.
Gamma ray bursts
Bursts of powerful radiation come from the distant Universe.
Giant stars
Stars change during their lifetimes.
Habitable zones
Astronomers search for other 'Earths' orbiting distant stars.
Nebulae
Beautiful dust and gas clouds are found in interstellar space.
Neutron stars
Incredibly dense burnt-out stars send messages across space.
Novae
A white dwarf star may steal matter from a companion red giant.
Pulsars
Pulsars send signals across the Universe.
Quasars
Astronomers find mysterious objects emitting radio waves.
Star clusters
Stars often grow up in a group.
Stars
Fusion reactions power suns across the Universe.
Supernovae
Stars can die in massive explosions.
Variable stars
The brightness of stars can change.
White dwarfs
Stars often end their days as 'degenerate matter'.
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