Name: Steve Stahler
Institution: University of California, Berkeley

University of Washington

Astrolunch

Abstract:
Cluster formation is a central issue in astronomy, as well as one of its abiding mysteries. The distribution of ages for young stars in many nearby regions suggests that these stars are produced in an accelerating fashion, until the point of cloud dispersal. The Orion Nebula Cluster provides a vivid example. This progression of star formation activity may stem from accelerating gravitational contraction of the parent molecular cloud.