Question

a distant star is discovered using new telescope data published by nasa. they finc star is only half as massive as our sun. based on this mass, what is the most likely at the end of its life?

it will remain stable indefinitely

it will explode as a supernova

it will collapse and become a white dwarf

it will cool into a large planet

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Explanation:

Stars with a mass less than about 8 times the mass of the Sun (this star is 0.5 times the mass of the Sun) will eventually shed their outer layers and leave behind a dense core - a white dwarf. A star cannot remain stable indefinitely as it has a finite fuel supply. Only very massive stars (much more massive than 8 times the Sun's mass) explode as supernovae. A star cannot cool into a planet as they have different formation processes and compositions.

Answer:

It will collapse and become a white dwarf.