Scientists created the most accurate three-dimensional map of star-formation regions in our Milky Way galaxy, based on data from the European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope. This map will teach ...

At the heart of our galaxy lies a cosmic puzzle: although the Galactic Center is packed with star-making material, massive stars form there surprisingly slowly. Using NASA's retired SOFIA observatory, ...

Stars form in massive clouds of gas called molecular clouds. As they form, they accrete gas from these clouds, and as the stars rotate, gas and dust accumulates in a rotating disk around the star ...

This Collection features original research on the mechanisms driving star formation, the lifecycle of various stellar types, and the complex interactions between stars and their environments. The ...

NAOJ ATERUI III simulations show magnetic fields strip angular momentum from forming protostar pairs at up to 0.7 percent per orbital period, explaining why binary systems form fast enough to match ...

The formation of the first, or Population III, stars marked a pivotal epoch in cosmic history. Emerging in dark matter minihalos at redshifts of around 20–30, these metal-free objects arose from the ...

Inside-out growth and stellar migration in the Milky Way: Inside the star-forming disc (within ~12 kpc), abundant cold gas fuels continuous star formation, producing young stars. Beyond this break ...

Astronomers have spotted thousands of young stars huddled around the center of an ancient galaxy, all of which formed nearly simultaneously 4 million years ago. This observation marks the first time ...

Most events in the universe are not fully understood, including the relatively simple process of star formation. Stars form in dense clouds of cold gas and dust. When these clouds reach a threshold ...

For decades, astronomers have wondered what the very first stars in the universe were like. These stars formed new chemical elements, which enriched the universe and allowed the next generations of ...