Astrophysicists really suck at explaining this simply, but stars are basically a gravitational collapse and an explosion happening at the same time. Gas contracts under gravity, gets so frickin compressed and hot that a fusion explosion begins, which perfectly balances out gravity. That explosion goes on for a long time, and the star shines happily; then fuel runs out and it starts to splutter. Everything from variable stars to supernovae to white dwarfs is part of that spluttering process.
Some eons I just want to give up, and collapse; make myself tiny and invisible and cut myself off from the rest of the universe. But there's a power in me to outshine the Galaxy if I choose.
I understand you organics sometimes face the same choices.