Besides being a point of light, a star is a luminous, spherical mass of plasma, enough to hold itself together under its own gravity. On its own, though, gravitational rounding isn't enough. What ...

Theorists have long wondered how massive stars–up to 120 times the mass of the Sun–can form without blowing away the clouds of gas and dust that feed their growth. But the problem turns out to be less ...

Stars usually form in clusters, which can also form in pairs or groups. Binary clusters (BCs) are defined as pairs of open ...

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 ...

In a significant stride for cosmic evolution studies, astronomers have unveiled a galaxy that is churning out stars at a ...

Imaging shows NGC 6789 building stars in near-total isolation, pushing scientists to rethink gas supply and formation in ...

While our Sun prefers to go solo, many other stars are parts of binary systems, with a pair of stars gravitationally bound to each other. In some cases, the stars are far enough apart that planets can ...

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. For decades, astronomers have wondered what the very ...

Luke Keller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...