protostar
Collapsing gas cloud
A protostar is a young star in the earliest stage of formation, before nuclear fusion has begun in its core.
It forms when a cloud of gas and dust collapses under its own gravity, heating up as material falls inward.
Once the core becomes hot and dense enough to ignite hydrogen fusion, the protostar becomes a true star.
Growth through external addition
- collapseSudden structural failure
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- diskFlat circular object
fragmentation · contraction · core · hydrogen · density · temperature · turbulence · magnetism
Folded paper enclosure
- coreCentral essential portion
- jetsPressurized fluid streams
- outflowFluid exiting a system
- photosphereStar's light-emitting surface
convection · opacity · dust · gas · magnetic field · rotation · luminosity · radius
Stable stellar burning phase
- nuclear fusionAtoms joining, releasing power
- brown dwarfSubstellar object, no fusion
Emitting light or joy
- glowingGiving off steady light
- variableProne to fluctuation
- outburstSudden emotional release
- flaringExpanding outward suddenly
brightening · dimming · luminous · irradiant · energy output
Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- submillimeterLess than one millimeter
- radio astronomyAnalyzing cosmic electromagnetic emissions
- James WebbOrbital infrared observatory
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
obscured · extinction · wavelength · survey · catalog
accretion
Growth through external addition
disk · fragmentation · contraction · core · hydrogen · density · temperature · turbulence · magnetism · shockwave
envelope
Folded paper enclosure
photosphere · convection · opacity · dust · gas · magnetic field · rotation · luminosity · radius · mass
main sequence
Stable stellar burning phase
- nuclear fusionAtoms joining, releasing power
- brown dwarfSubstellar object, no fusion
radiant
Emitting light or joy
flaring · brightening · dimming · luminous · irradiant · energy output
infrared
Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- submillimeterLess than one millimeter
- radio astronomyAnalyzing cosmic electromagnetic emissions
- James WebbOrbital infrared observatory
spectroscopy · obscured · extinction · wavelength · survey · catalog
- astronomystars, moon, sun, planet, planets
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, Earth
- space objectsgalaxy, nebula, planet, quasar, asteroid
- space mattermeteor, meteoroid, meteorite, moon, asteroid
- starsstars, Sirius, Polaris, sol, sun
- stellar propertiesluminosity, surface temperature, magnitude, brightness, surface gravity
protostardead star
white dwarf · neutron star · black hole · red giant · supernova remnant