protostars articles

How do protostars generate heat?

How do protostars generate heat?

The fiery heart of a newborn star doesn't begin with the spectacular ignition of nuclear fusion. Before a true star swit...

What prevents a protostar from collapsing?

What prevents a protostar from collapsing?

The initial stages of a star’s life are a violent, drawn-out battle against the most fundamental force in the universe: ...

Can a protostar fail to become a star?

Can a protostar fail to become a star?

The journey from a diffuse cloud of gas and dust to a stable, shining star is fraught with potential detours, and yes, a...

What is the force responsible for the collapse of a nebula into a protostar?

What is the force responsible for the collapse of a nebula into a protostar?

The force responsible for initiating the collapse of a diffuse nebula into a dense core that eventually yields a protost...

Where does the protostar get the energy to glow?

Where does the protostar get the energy to glow?

The glow emanating from a protostar—that brilliant, yet deeply hidden, infant of the stellar world—is a direct consequen...

How does a protostar work?

How does a protostar work?

The story of a star begins not with a brilliant flash, but with a slow, cold gathering of material in the vastness of sp...

How is energy generated in a protostar?

How is energy generated in a protostar?

The moment a dense core of gas and dust begins to collapse under its own weight, it ceases being just a cloud fragment a...

What is the source of energy as a star evolves from an interstellar cloud to the protostar stage?

What is the source of energy as a star evolves from an interstellar cloud to the protostar stage?

The process by which a star is born begins in the cold, dark reaches of space, originating from vast reservoirs of mater...

How does a protostar generate energy?

How does a protostar generate energy?

The creation of a star is not an instantaneous event but a drawn-out, tumultuous adolescence where gravity wrestles with...