Compared to the hydrogen-fusing lifetime, how long does the entire post-red giant transformation last?
Answer
A tiny fraction of the total lifespan, spanning mere tens of thousands of years
While a star like the Sun spends approximately 10 billion years on the Main Sequence, the entire subsequent dramatic process, from significant mass loss to the nebula fading, concludes over only tens of thousands of years.

#Videos
How Does A Red Giant Become A Planetary Nebula? - YouTube
How Do Red Giants Create Planetary Nebulae? - Physics Frontier
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