StarFormationQuestions

I have put together a series of fundamental questions that we will need to understand about the star formation process to help us both understand why it is of interest to scientists, why it is an active field in astronomy, and how to write a strong proposal.

What are the fundamental components of spiral galaxies, such as the Milky Way?

• What are the relative percentages of the constituents?

Where does star formation fit in the context of the evolution of the Galaxy?

How is star formation related to planet formation?

What are brown dwarfs?

What stages (phases) of evolution does a star undergo during its formation?

When and how can we see these phases?

How do we tell what we see?

When does the star formation process end?

What environmental factors affect star formation?