What type of faint stellar remnant might stars below $0.5 M_{\odot}$ become, potentially shining for trillions of years?

Answer

Red dwarfs

Stars that form with masses falling below the theoretical minimum threshold for sustained hydrogen fusion, roughly $0.4$ to $0.5$ times the mass of the Sun, follow an extremely slow evolutionary path. These objects, known as red dwarfs, are characterized by their low core temperatures and pressures. Because their energy generation is very slow and steady, they consume their fuel over extraordinarily long timescales, potentially lasting for trillions of years, far exceeding the current age of the universe. Unlike more massive stars, they often never achieve the necessary core temperature to initiate helium fusion. Should they eventually exhaust their hydrogen, they may simply fade away slowly, possibly becoming faint, cold stellar remnants without undergoing the dramatic expansion or explosive death associated with stars similar to or larger than the Sun.

What type of faint stellar remnant might stars below $0.5 M_{\odot}$ become, potentially shining for trillions of years?

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