Key Takeaways:
- Stellar formation initiates within dense, cold molecular clouds.
- Gravitational instability triggers the rapid collapse of these clouds.
- Rotation within the collapsing cloud leads to the formation of a flattened disk around the nascent protostar.
- Accretion of gas and dust from this disk contributes to the protostar's mass growth.
Stars form deep within dense clouds of cold molecular gas and dust. The clouds become gravitationally unstable and collapse rapidly to smaller sizes and higher densities. Rotation causes the infalling gas to form a flattened disk around each growing protostar. Most of the gas and dust in this protostellar disk are able to flow onto the central protostar, adding to the potential star’s mass.
