What regions within molecular clouds are described as the true starting points for star formation?
Answer
Cores
The process of star formation begins specifically within regions termed 'cores'. These cores represent the most gravitationally bound and dense parts of the entire molecular cloud complex. They possess such high internal density that they often appear as dark nebulae because they effectively obscure any background starlight passing through them. It is in these cores where the fundamental competition between internal thermal pressure, kept low by extreme cold, and the relentless inward pull of gravity reaches a critical threshold, initiating the inevitable shrinkage leading to a protostar.
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