TShock said:Since the critical mass for this to happen is a constant shouldn't all stars be relatively the same size since a star doesn't collect any more mass once fusion starts?
CaptainQuasar said:I don't think this part is true. Why would a star stop collecting mass just because fusion started?⚛
TShock said:The force of matter being ejected by Sol would stop any new hydrogen from being collected. The same reason why Mercury has no atmosphere or what would happen to Earth's atmosphere if Sol turns into a red giant.
TShock said:well I guess either no one knows or my question was so incredibly stupid no one could be bothered to answer it. Thanks to those that did post replys.
New stars are formed through a process called nuclear fusion, in which hydrogen atoms fuse together to form helium. This process requires high temperatures and pressures, which can be found in the dense cores of molecular clouds.
The formation of new stars is triggered by the collapse of a dense region within a molecular cloud. This collapse can be caused by shockwaves from nearby supernovae, gravitational interactions with other clouds, or disruptions from spiral arms in galaxies.
The time it takes for a new star to form can vary depending on the size and density of the molecular cloud, but on average it can take around 100,000 to 1 million years.
The size and mass of a new star is determined by the amount of material available in the molecular cloud. More material means a larger and more massive star, while less material results in a smaller and less massive star.
New stars can form in any region of the universe that contains a sufficient amount of gas and dust. However, the rate of star formation is higher in areas with high concentrations of gas and dust, such as in galaxies and nebulae.