Nebula

What is a Nebula?

Nebulae are giant clouds of interstellar gas and are one of the most spectacular sights in astronomy. They are often found in the space between stars, known as the interstellar medium and play a key role in the life cycle of stars, both at their birth and death.

Stars are born in dense clumps of gas, dust, and other material inside nebulae—these regions are often referred to as "stellar nurseries". On average, this region contains only around one atom per cubic centimeter. However, in certain places the density can be significantly higher than this—high enough to become visible through a telescope. In these regions, the formations of gas, dust, and other materials "clump" together to form denser regions, which attract further matter and eventually become dense enough to form stars.