protostars
Stars still forming
Protostars are stars in the earliest stage of formation, before nuclear fusion has begun.
They form when a dense region of gas and dust in a nebula collapses under its own gravity, heating up as material falls inward.
A protostar becomes a true star once its core grows hot and dense enough to ignite hydrogen fusion.
The Orion Nebula contains numerous protostars visible in infrared images.
Growth through external addition
- collapseSudden structural failure
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
helium · disk · envelope · fragmentation · condensation · contraction · core · dust
Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
thermal · radiation · imaging · telescope · submillimeter · photometry · luminosity · spectrum
Emitting or reflecting light
- variableProne to fluctuation
- embeddedSet firmly within something
- youngNot yet mature
- rotatingTurning on an axis
magnetic · outflowing · cool · massive
Emission cloud near Earth
- TaurusZodiac's bull
- clusterGathered group nearby
- associationGroup with shared aim
- filamentVery thin thread
accretion
Growth through external addition
hydrogen · helium · disk · envelope · fragmentation · condensation · contraction · core · dust · gas
infrared
Heat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- absorptionProcess of taking in
wavelength · thermal · radiation · imaging · telescope · submillimeter · photometry · luminosity · spectrum · detection
luminous
Emitting or reflecting light
rotating · magnetic · outflowing · cool · massive
Orion Nebula
Emission cloud near Earth
- TaurusZodiac's bull
- clusterGathered group nearby
- associationGroup with shared aim
brown dwarf
Substellar object, no fusion
protostarswhite dwarfs
Electron-supported stellar remains
neutron stars · black holes · red giants · supergiants · dying stars