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TYPES OF STAR

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protostellar core

The smallest opaque clump into which a collapsing interstellar cloud fragments. The characteristic mass of a protostellar core is about 0.01 solar mass. It subsequently grows by accretion as surrounding matter falls toward it, attaining stellar mass, and becoming a protostar, within 100,000 years after its initial formation.

Related entry

• variable stars

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• TYPES OF STAR

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