All of this information is based upon the likely evolution for single stars (not binary systems).
| Mass at formation (in Solar Masses) | Approximate Main Sequence Spectral Type | Typical Main Sequence Lifetime (in years) | Post Main Sequence Fusion | Post Fusion Event | Eventual Fate |
| less than 0.08 | Never becomes a star, too small | Brown Dwarf | |||
| 0.08 - 0.5 | M, L, T | 100's of billions | None | Planetary Nebula | Helium rich White Dwarf |
| 0.5 - 2 | F, G, K | 10's of billions | Helium Flash, then helium fusion | Planetary Nebula | Carbon/Oxygen rich White Dwarf |
| 2 - 4 | A | half a billion to a few billion | No Helium Flash, but steady Helium fusion | Planetary Nebula | Carbon/Oxygen rich White Dwarf |
| 4 - 8 | B5 - B9 | hundreds of millions | No Helium Flash, but steady Helium, Carbon fusion | Planetary Nebula | Neon/Oxygen rich White Dwarf |
| 8 - 25? | B0 - B4 | tens of million | No Helium Flash, but steady Helium, Carbon, Neon, Oxygen, Silicon fusion | Supernova | Neutron Star |
| Greater than 25? | O | a few million at most | No Helium Flash, but steady Helium, Carbon, Neon, Oxygen, Silicon fusion | Supernova | Black Hole |