Are most of the stars we see already gone?

When looking at stars, you're actually looking into the past. Many of the stars we see at night have already died. ... And at a distance of less than 10,000 light-years, those are not terrible odds that, in a sense, it's already gone and we just don't know it yet. read more

Usually, for stars like the Sun and most of the stars in the night sky, the death process (yes, they have a process of death) lasts a few billion years; depending on the star’s nature. Sometimes, stars die turning into a red giant, and then a white dwarf (like the Sun). read more

And at a distance of less than 10,000 light-years, those are not terrible odds that, in a sense, it’s already gone and we just don’t know it yet. But that’s the exception, with the vast majority of stars still merrily fusing away, lighting up the galaxy. read more

Most of the stars we see with the naked eye are actually pretty close. The brightest in the night sky is Sirius in the constellation Canis Major. It’s only about 8.6 light years away. read more