HOW STARS DIE

Astronomers have been aware for decades that very massive stars expire in huge explosions that can outshine a galaxy. But sunlike stars die with a lot less fuss; they swell, slowly frying close-in planets, then puff their outer layers into space to form enormous balls of gas. Finally, they shrink to dim, glowing embers. A quiet ending--or so everyone thought before the Hubble Space Telescope came along. New images released last week show that the process is more complex and violent than anyone believed. Supersonic jets of particles and dense clots of dust warp the glowing gas into a variety of fantastic shapes that even scientists can't resist nicknaming. It'll happen to the sun too--but luckily, not for another 5 billion years, give or take a billion.