Why are protostars often invisible to conventional telescopes using visible light?
Answer
They are shrouded in a dense cocoon of dust and gas
During the initial formation stage, a protostar accumulates mass from the surrounding nebula, creating a dense environment of dust and gas. This cocoon acts as an opaque shield that blocks visible light, rendering the object difficult to see with standard optical telescopes. However, the heat generated by the contraction of the protostar allows it to be detected through infrared observations, which can penetrate the dust and reveal the developing object within.
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