You've just got a job in a publishing house that specializes in books for young teenagers. Your editor, the feared and respected Calpurnia I. S. Stiffwood, challenges you with a task that will allow to show off your training in Astronomy at Cornell.

A book on Cosmic Wonders is being prepared. The target market is that of Middle School children. In addition to the main story line, the book is to contain ``boxes'', of about 1000 words each, printed and double-spaced, illustrating in vivid detail special astrophysical concepts. You are to write one of such ``boxes'', on the topic of Stellar Death. Among the guidelines the editor provides you with are the following:

Without invoking any equations, explain the physics behind the idea of different types of stellar deaths, with words that a bright twelve year old can understand. What determines one form of final rest for a star, as opposed to the others?

Compare the possible ways we can detect - or infer the possible existence of - each of those dead stars. Give the reader a clear idea of what we can see and what we infer to be there and why.

Explain clearly the geometry that allows us to detect neutron stars as pulsars.

You should treat your readers to some curious examples, e.g.: how massive would a black hole be, that can fit in your car's trunk (say one foot in radius)? And: how large and massive would a black hole be, which had a density equal to that of water (1 gram per cubic cm)? Do we know of objects having such masses?

It is a common misconception that a black hole is some sort of a cosmic "vacuum cleaner", capable of sucking up all the matter surrounding it. Correct this impression explaining, for example, what would happen to the orbit of Earth if the Sun all of a sudden were replaced by a black hole of one solar mass.

In the case of a black hole, by "size" you should adopt the Schwarzschild radius. You don't need to show the calculations but any final numbers should be correct. Remember, you are writing for smart children: be clear, be succinct, be entertaining. And if you use other sources, make sure you quote them with proper references.