Concept · beginner
Star formation
The process by which dense clouds of gas and dust collapse under gravity to form new stars.
Star formation
Stars form inside cold, dense molecular clouds. Gravity pulls material inward while pressure, magnetic fields, and radiation push back. When a dense core collapses and heats enough to fuse hydrogen, a star is born.
Infrared telescopes matter because dust that blocks optical light still glows — or becomes translucent — at longer wavelengths, revealing embedded protostars and jets.