White and Black Dwarves

The following citations listed in this article are from White Dwarfs Facts, Information and Photos | National Geographic and Black Dwarf Stars: The (Theoretical) End of Stellar Evolution | Space.

    After a low-mass star finishes shedding its outer layers during its planetary nebula phase, what's left behind is known as a white dwarf star. According to previously cited sources, "White dwar[ves] are stars that have burned up all of the hydrogen they once used as nuclear fuel." During this part of life, the star is dead now, having collapsed on itself at the end of its previous phase. White dwarf stars are super dense, and just a teaspoon of its mass would weigh over 5,000 pounds here on Earth! Although they are much smaller than our Sun, they usually have relatively similar masses.

Image Credits: White Dwarf Star Photograph by Mark Garlick/science Photo Library - Fine Art America

    Astronomers have also come up with a theory that there is a stage of life following the white dwarf star. They call it the black dwarf star phase. These stars emit no heat or light, and scientists think this is why they are so hard to detect and study. However, black dwarf stars are very old. Our universe is a mere 14 billion years old, while these stars are quadrillions of years old! If black dwarf stars did exist, there wouldn't presently be one to study.

    As noted previously, white dwarf stars are the remaining core of younger stars. Their job is to burn off any leftover glow, slowly fading over time. After the star's heat and energy runs out, it would probably turn into a black dwarf star, no longer luminous, just a floating piece of debris. Please note that said star would take, quite literally, a hundred million billion years to burn all of this off. It would be nearly impossible to make out, since outer space is dark and the star is, well, black, but it would retain its mass, making studying the star and its effects easier for scientists.

Image Credits: Pinterest

    In conclusion, a white dwarf star is the last phase a low-mass star will go through in its lifespan. While black dwarf stars are fascinating, they are still strictly theoretical, or an idea not yet supported with a sufficient amount of evidence.