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  2. Star formation - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation

    Star formation. Star formation is the process by which dense regions within molecular clouds in interstellar space, sometimes referred to as "stellar nurseries" or " star -forming regions", collapse and form stars. [1] As a branch of astronomy, star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium (ISM) and giant molecular clouds (GMC ...

  3. Galaxy formation and evolution - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_formation_and_evolution

    The study of galaxy formation and evolution is concerned with the processes that formed a heterogeneous universe from a homogeneous beginning, the formation of the first galaxies, the way galaxies change over time, and the processes that have generated the variety of structures observed in nearby galaxies. Galaxy formation is hypothesized to ...

  4. Spiral galaxy - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_galaxy

    star formation caused by density waves in the galactic disk of the galaxy. the stochastic self-propagating star formation model (SSPSF model) – star formation caused by shock waves in the interstellar medium. The shock waves are caused by the stellar winds and supernovae from recent previous star formation, leading to self-propagating and ...

  5. Starburst galaxy - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starburst_galaxy

    A starburst galaxy is one undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation, as compared to the long-term average rate of star formation in the galaxy, or the star formation rate observed in most other galaxies. For example, the star formation rate of the Milky Way galaxy is approximately 3 M☉ /yr, while starburst galaxies can ...

  6. Milky Way - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

    According to recent studies, the Milky Way as well as the Andromeda Galaxy lie in what in the galaxy color–magnitude diagram is known as the "green valley", a region populated by galaxies in transition from the "blue cloud" (galaxies actively forming new stars) to the "red sequence" (galaxies that lack star formation). Star-formation activity ...

  7. Galaxy - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy

    M82, a starburst galaxy that has ten times the star formation of a "normal" galaxy. Stars are created within galaxies from a reserve of cold gas that forms giant molecular clouds. Some galaxies have been observed to form stars at an exceptional rate, which is known as a starburst. If they continue to do so, they would consume their reserve of ...

  8. Elliptical galaxy - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptical_galaxy

    Star formation activity in elliptical galaxies is typically minimal; they may, however, undergo brief periods of star formation when merging with other galaxies. Elliptical galaxies are believed to make up approximately 10–15% of galaxies in the Virgo Supercluster, and they are not the dominant type of galaxy in the universe overall.

  9. Messier 82 - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_82

    Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82) is a starburst galaxy approximately 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It is the second-largest member of the M81 Group, with the D 25 isophotal diameter of 12.52 kiloparsecs (40,800 light-years ). [1] [5] It is about five times more luminous than the Milky Way ...