What are the initial reservoirs of gas and dust for star birth called?
Answer
Giant molecular clouds
Star formation initiates within massive, cold interstellar structures known as giant molecular clouds (GMCs), which are also frequently referred to simply as nebulae. These vast regions serve as the raw material banks for stellar genesis, containing enormous quantities of primarily hydrogen gas, supplemented by helium and trace amounts of heavier elements locked within dust grains. The extremely low temperatures, often just tens of degrees above absolute zero, are crucial initial conditions for the subsequent gravitational processes to take hold and begin the long process of collapse necessary to form a star.
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