When did theoretical Dark Stars likely form compared to conventional stars?
Answer
Extremely early, perhaps before the first conventional stars ignited
Dark Stars are theorized to be relics from the cosmic dawn, representing some of the earliest large structures to form in the universe. Their existence is predicated on conditions present before the standard stellar lifecycle began. Specifically, models suggest they formed when gas clouds collapsed in regions already dense with dark matter. The energy provided by dark matter interaction allowed these protostars to inflate and remain stable without initiating nuclear fusion, meaning they achieved stability and massive size earlier than the hydrogen-burning Population III stars, which required significantly higher core temperatures to ignite.
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