Astronomy 162 - Stars, Galaxies, & The Universe

How do stars form? The Sun is old and in Hydrostatic and Thermal equilibrium. How did it get that way? This lecture presents the basic steps of star formation as a progress from cold interstellar Giant Molecular Clouds to Protostars in Hydrostatic Equilibrium, and then Pre-Main Sequence evolution which ends in ignition of core Hydrogen fusion and establishing Thermal Equilibrium on the Zero-Age Main Sequence. Recorded 2006 January 24 in 1008 Evans Laboratory on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.