What specific celestial entity collapses to form the stars in an Open Cluster?
Answer
A single, massive cloud of gas and dust, known as a giant molecular cloud.
The stars comprising an open cluster share a common origin, having formed simultaneously from the gravitational collapse of one singular, massive initial material source. This source is specifically identified as a giant molecular cloud, which is a vast reservoir of cold gas and dust within the galaxy. When this massive cloud collapses under its own gravity, the subsequent ignition of nuclear fusion across the material leads to the birth of dozens to thousands of stars that are all roughly the same age, defining the resulting open cluster structure.
Related Questions
How does the stellar population age of an Open Cluster contrast with a Globular Cluster?What specific celestial entity collapses to form the stars in an Open Cluster?Where within a spiral galaxy are Open Clusters predominantly situated?What phenomenon is cited as the primary driver causing the eventual dispersal of an Open Cluster?Which specific, famous grouping is identified as a textbook example of an Open Cluster?How does an Open Cluster visually appear through a telescope compared to a Globular Cluster?What stellar types strongly indicate that an Open Cluster's population is definitively young?What characterizes the gravitational binding strength of an Open Cluster relative to a Globular Cluster?Why are Open Clusters useful as temporal markers for Milky Way star formation history?What is the final designation for members of an Open Cluster after tidal stripping disperses the group?