Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust in space, and they are often the birthplace of stars and planetary systems. When parts of a nebula collapse under their own gravity, they can form:
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Stars: The dense regions within the nebula can collapse and increase in temperature, eventually igniting nuclear fusion and becoming new stars.
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Planetary Systems: As a star forms, the surrounding material can coalesce into disks that may eventually form planets, moons, and other celestial objects.
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Brown Dwarfs: If a region of the nebula does not gather enough mass to ignite nuclear fusion, it may form a brown dwarf, which is a substellar object that is between a planet and a star.
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Star Clusters: Many stars can form from the same nebula, leading to the creation of star clusters.
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Supernova Remnants: The remnants of massive stars that explode at the end of their life cycles can also give rise to new nebulae, enriching the surrounding environment with heavy elements.
In summary, nebulae are essential regions in the universe for the formation of various astronomical bodies, primarily stars and planetary systems.