XD I love the astronomy disscussion here!

The death of a star can take many different paths. A neutron star tends to burn out most often, becoming a black dwarf. A black hole results when a supergiant can no longer fight the massive gravitational pull it's created, because there's nothing left to combust. When this happens, the star rapidly collapses and inertia takes over, resulting in a massive 'dip' in the time/space continum. This is a black hole. For the Sol to go nova, though, it would have to expand until the inferior planets are INSIDE the sun itself. Then it sheds it's outer layers, leaving behind the white-hot core. The physics are a little complicated, but eventually, it will explode. The outer layers shed by the star is what creates beautiful planetary nebulae, as seen from other stars.

Back on topic.... If forced to choose, it'd seem more like an alternate reality. Indeed, can we even be sure that the reality we live in right now is truly real? Our senses can be easily decieved. Our logic is influenced by our senses, thus we cannot be sure of anything. Perhaps we are all but a dream of God.

Arg, you all just got a dose of my Astronomy class and my Classical Literature and Thought class. Lord, I hate school sometimes.