What are the four stages in the life of an average star?

The life of an average star typically progresses through four stages: first, it forms from a collapsing cloud of gas and dust, becoming a protostar. Next, it enters the main sequence phase, where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core, sustaining itself for billions of years. After exhausting its hydrogen, it expands into a red giant and begins fusing helium into heavier elements. Finally, the star sheds its outer layers, leaving behind a white dwarf that gradually cools and dims over time.