372-evolution-of-stars-dixon – This four-panel astronomical infographic charts stellar and cosmic evolution across distinct chronological scales. The top panel illustrates a macrocosmic scale from point-source stars to fully formed spiral galaxies and diffuse irregular clusters. The second panel details a star-formation timeline from a collapsing molecular cloud and accretion disk to a mature star flanked by a newly formed rocky planet. The third panel visualizes stellar lifecycles and deaths, contrasting low-mass planetary nebula ejection with high-mass supernova explosions. The bottom panel serves as a cosmological timeline, showing the expansion of space from the hyper-dense Big Bang cone out to the modern epoch populated by distributed galaxy structures. painting by Don Dixon for Smithsonian Institution, © Don Dixon
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