Star map

Stars are the most well-known astronomical objects, and they are the building blocks of galaxies. It traces the age, distribution, and formation of stars in a galaxy, the history, dynamics, and evolution of that galaxy. Moreover, stars are responsible for the manufacture and distribution of heavy elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, and their properties are closely related to those of the planetary systems around which they may unite. Thus, the study of the birth, life, and death of stars is central to the field of astronomy.

star formation

Stars are born inside dust clouds and are scattered throughout most galaxies. A familiar example of a dust cloud is the Orion Nebula. Deep disturbances within these clouds give rise to nodes of sufficient mass that gas and dust can begin to collapse under their own gravity. As the cloud collapses, the material in the center begins to heat up. Known as a protostar, it is this hot core at the heart of the collapsing cloud that will one day become a star. 3D computer models of star formation predict that the collapsing rotating clouds of gas and dust may separate into two or three points. This would explain why the majority of stars in the Milky Way are in conjunction or in clusters of multiple stars.