A massive star is born: Time-lapse movie shows that massive stars form like their smaller siblings
Monday, January 11, 2010 - 08:35
in Astronomy & Space
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of astronomers led by Lynn D. Matthews at the MIT Haystack Observatory has discovered a disk of gas swirling close to a young massive star, which they say offers the first evidence that massive stars form similarly to smaller stars. Because massive stars are believed to be responsible for creating most of the chemical elements in the universe that are critical for the formation of Earth-like planets and life, understanding how they form may help unravel mysteries about the origins of life.