When Does a Star Form & What's Best for Life?

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In summary, there is a minimum mass for a star to initiate and sustain nuclear fusion in its core. Any type of star could potentially support life, but our yellow, medium sized star is considered ideal due to its stability. T-tauri stars are a possibility for life formation, as they are still in the process of forming and have not yet started fusion. However, accretion stops once fusion begins and the collapsing cloud is always more massive than the star that forms. Stars can also merge, but it is not common. The best type of star for a planet to form life is still unknown, as it is difficult to do statistics with only one sample. Small stars have habitable zones closer to the star, which can make survival
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Stephenk53
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I have two questions, firstly, when a star first forms is there a most common type it starts its life as? Such as when it is first big enough to be classified as a star is it usually say a brown dwarf?

Secondly, Is there a type of star that is best for a planet to form life?
 
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Stephenk53 said:
I have two questions, firstly, when a star first forms is there a most common type it starts its life as? Such as when it is first big enough to be classified as a star is it usually say a brown dwarf?

Secondly, Is there a type of star that is best for a planet to form life?
A star is considered a star as soon as it’s large enough to initiate and sustain nuclear fusion in its core. There is a minimum mass for this.

And we only know for sure that yellow, medium sized stars can have life, but theoretically any type could. Ours is nice because it’s fairly stable for long periods of time. Big stars live fast and die young, likely exploding long before any complex life could evolve and small stars last longer but can be turblulent and throw out lots of damaging solar flares.
 
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Stephenk53 said:
I have two questions, firstly, when a star first forms is there a most common type it starts its life as? Such as when it is first big enough to be classified as a star is it usually say a brown dwarf?

Secondly, Is there a type of star that is best for a planet to form life?

You might be looking for t-tauri stars. Before that you can have propylids and bok globules,

Stephenk53 said:
...Such as when it is first big enough to be classified as a star is it usually say a brown dwarf?..

Once fusion starts the accretion stops. Radiation pushes material away. The collapsing cloud is always much more massive than the star that forms out of it.

Stars can merge. It is not very common.

Stephenk53 said:
...

Secondly, Is there a type of star that is best for a planet to form life?

As stated by newjersey runner that is not known for certain. Cannot do statistics with one sample.

"Life forming" is very different question from "advanced life forming". On Earth life appears quickly but Eukaryotes do not show up for over 2 billion years.

Planet systems similar to the Sun are most often found around stars with similar or higher metal content.

Small stars have habitable zones (where surface water is both liquid and ice year round) that are very close to the star. That adds a lot of radiation which will make survival more challenging for life. Large stars tend to blow away the material for planets. The stars also do not live for very long. If a planet did form life would have a very short window to start up before it died.

Advance life probably needs a stable environment. Fewer asteroid impacts after a billion years or so. Few close encounters with other stars that can change the planet's orbit. A moon might be important. Stars that are variable might cause problems too.
 

1. When does a star form?

Stars form when a large cloud of gas and dust, called a nebula, collapses under its own gravity. This usually happens when the cloud reaches a critical mass, which can be triggered by a nearby supernova explosion or the collision of two smaller clouds.

2. What factors determine the formation of a star?

The formation of a star is determined by the mass, temperature, and composition of the nebula. A higher mass and lower temperature typically result in the formation of larger, longer-lived stars, while a lower mass and higher temperature may produce smaller, shorter-lived stars.

3. Can stars form anywhere in the universe?

Stars can form in any location where the conditions are suitable, such as in galaxies, nebulae, and even within our own solar system. However, the majority of stars are found in galaxies, where there is an abundant supply of gas and dust for star formation to occur.

4. Is there a specific time frame for star formation?

The time frame for star formation can vary greatly, from a few hundred thousand years to several million years. The exact duration depends on the size and mass of the nebula, as well as other environmental factors that may affect the collapse and formation of the star.

5. What type of star is best for supporting life?

The type of star best for supporting life is a main sequence star, like our sun. These stars have a stable energy output and a long lifespan, providing a consistent and stable environment for potential life to develop and thrive. Other factors, such as the distance of the star from its planet and the planet's atmosphere, also play a crucial role in determining the habitability of a star system.

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