Astronomers See Massive Stars Forming Together in Multiple Star Systems

This false-color image of the massive star formation region G333.23–0.06 came from data obtained with the ALMA radio observatory. The insets show regions where researchers detected multiple systems of protostars. The star symbols indicate the location of each newly forming star. Image Credit: S. Li, MPIA / J. Neidel, MPIA Graphics Department / Data: ALMA Observatory

All stars form in giant molecular clouds of hydrogen. But some stars are extraordinarily massive; the most massive one we know of is about 200 times more massive than the Sun. How do these stars gain so much mass?

Part of the answer is that they form in multiple star systems.

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