Astrophysics & Particle Physics-APPC 2026

Star-forming areas, also referred to as stellar nurseries, are regions within galaxies where dust and gas condense to create new stars. These areas tend to be found within giant molecular clouds (GMCs)—cold, dense masses of molecular hydrogen, helium, and trace elements—that supply raw material for star formation.The process starts when parts of a molecular cloud collapse by gravity to create protostars. As material is accreted by the protostar, the core temperature increases, eventually sparking nuclear fusion and the birth of a new star. Accretion disks and outflows, which envelop the protostar, control mass accretion and angular momentum, forming the stellar system.Numerous star-forming regions must be observed with infrared and radio telescopes, since dense clouds block visible light.

Tools such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) disclose protostellar disks, outflows, and chemical properties, giving a glimpse into stellar evolution in its initial phases.Star formation zones are key to understanding galactic evolution because they dictate how quickly galaxies make stars and recycle material via stellar winds and supernovae. They also have a central role in the formation of planets, as planets evolve within the protoplanetary disks of new stars.In short, star-forming regions are cosmic laboratories in which gravity, gas dynamics, magnetic fields, and radiation interact to create new stars and planetary systems. By analyzing these nurseries of stars, astronomers are able to disentangle the processes powering stellar evolution, cluster formation, and galactic chemical enrichment.