The Timescale and Mode of Star Formation in Clusters
Abstract
Description
I discuss two questions about the origin of star clusters: How long does the process take? What is the mode of individual star formation? I argue that observations of Galactic star-forming regions, particularly the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC), indicate that cluster formation often takes several Myr, which is many local dynamical timescales. Individual stars and binaries, including massive stars, appear to form from the collapse of gas cores.
6 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "The Young Local Universe", La Thuile (Italy), March 2004; This talk and others are available at http://www-laog.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/ylu/ylu_vgr/vgr_index.html
6 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "The Young Local Universe", La Thuile (Italy), March 2004; This talk and others are available at http://www-laog.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/ylu/ylu_vgr/vgr_index.html