es2536 — Organisation Release
How Do Dark Clouds Forge a Star System?
Kosmisches Kino on 13 November about dark clouds and star systems
13 October 2025, Garching b. München
In this Kosmisches Kino with the title "How Do Dark Clouds Forge a Star System?," Dr. Asmita Bhandare from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) takes us to the breathtaking birth sites of star systems. She will unveil how baby stars are born and how material assembles around them to build the cradle of future planets.
Some of the darkest and coldest areas in the sky are not empty space but dense clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have spent decades uncovering what hides inside them: they are the birthplaces of stars. Around most newborn stars, a swirling disc gathers and forms a cocoon where planets may one day grow. The raw material gives rise to a rich diversity of star-disc systems that span a wide range of masses and sizes. The beginnings of star formation are further shaped by the cosmic neighbourhood: nearby massive stars, powerful winds, bursts of radiation, and stars passing by can all influence how young systems evolve.
Only in the past few years have astronomers begun to spot clear signs of planets assembling near still-forming stars. They appear much earlier than expected. Together with Asmita Bhandare, we will journey through the Universe’s blueprint for sculpting star systems - from the first hints of dark lanes in the sky to today’s spectacular images of stellar nurseries. Along the way, we will discover how astronomers create baby stars in their computers and which ingredients in their recipes can forge stars surrounded by planets.
This event will be held in English. Since it is a live talk, there will be no translation available. The ESO Supernova will remain open until the start of the event for visitors, who can explore the exhibition at any time or watch a planetarium show before the event starts at 19:00.
Notes
What is Kosmisches Kino?
Kosmisches Kino (Cosmic Cinema) takes visitors into the breathtaking depths of space. Researchers from the ORIGINS Cluster of Excellence will accompany you on your journey through the cosmos with selected excerpts from planetarium films and an associated lecture.
Sit back and marvel. Want to know more? Just ask! Kosmisches Kino events take place under the dome of the planetarium. They offer all visitors, no prior knowledge required, an atmospheric insight into the world of research and provide you with new perspectives. At the end of the event, the researchers answer questions from the audience.
The lecture series Kosmisches Kino is a collaboration between ESO and the ORIGINS Cluster of Excellence and presents current research topics. The ORIGINS Excellence Cluster combines astrophysics, particle physics and biophysics to investigate the formation of the universe and the origin of life. The lectures address exciting questions that current research is investigating: Is there a common thread connecting the Big Bang with the origin of life? How do you measure radiation from space and its effect on humans? Where and how do planets and stars form? What is Dark Matter? What are the building blocks of life on Earth and do they exist elsewhere in space? These and many other questions will be addressed over the course of the event series.
Admission to the approximately one-hour-long evening event with planetarium visualisations, a live lecture and open discussion costs 6.50 Euros per person. Events are aimed at people aged 12 years and over.
More information
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Contacts
ESO SUPERNOVA
Garching b. München, DE
Tel: 08932006900
Email: supernova@eso.org
ESO SUPERNOVA
About the Release
| Release No.: | es2536 |
