How is a nebula related to the formation of a star?

In the simplest terms, stars form in some types of nebulae. The word nebula is used to describe several things but one of them is just clouds of "stuff" in space. In these clouds, matter can coalesce by gravity into a star. read more

In the simplest terms, stars form in some types of nebulae. The word nebula is used to describe several things but one of them is just clouds of"stuff" in space. In these clouds, matter can coalesce by gravity into a star. read more

A single emission nebula can be filled with numerous newborn stars. A good example is the Cone Nebula, in Monoceros the Unicorn, an area of active star formation. The Cone Nebula is part of an enormous cloud of hydrogen gas that cradles many brand-new stars, which vary drastically in brightness because many are still cloaked in cloud and dust. read more

As a branch of astronomy, star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium (ISM) and giant molecular clouds (GMC) as precursors to the star formation process, and the study of protostars and young stellar objects as its immediate products. It is closely related to planet formation, another branch of astronomy. read more