PHYS 1600 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Interstellar Cloud, Supernova Remnant, Protostar

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The pre-main-sequence phase is the period when the material that will form the star is organized in some way and becomes an entity, followed by a period of evolution into a star. Interstellar medium: matter (gas and dust) existing between the stars. Contains 10% of the observed mass in our galaxy. Most is too cold to be seen optically, and must be seen through infrared and radio telescopes. Composed of gas containing isolated atoms and molecules and tiny pieces of dust. 90% hydrogen, 9% helium and 1% metals (all other elements). Astronomers map out the interstellar medium to look for new stars. Reflection nebula: a comparatively dense cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space that is illuminated by a star between it and earth (appearing as a bluish haze). Often embedded in much larger bodies of gas and dust, called molecular clouds. They contain upwards of a million solar masses of matter, and extend up to 300ly across.

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