FACT CHECK: Incorrect, dishonest/ignorant premise
Michael DiCarlo believes that we have not seen a star form: FALSE.
Michael DiCarlo thinks that if we haven’t seen a star form, it would lend credence to a theory that they were created: FALSE.
Observing star formation is not straightforward due to the dense clouds of gas and dust that surround protostars. These clouds obscure visible light, making traditional optical telescopes ineffective for observing these young stars.
However, scientists have found ways to peer through these clouds using different types of light. For example, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory observes the high-energy radiation inside star-forming regions. Protostars emit a lot more X-rays than fully-formed stars, and this type of light penetrates dense molecular clouds, enabling astronomers to study newborn stars and their environment.
Infrared light is another powerful tool for observing star formation. The James Webb Space Telescope, which is optimized for near-infrared observations, can see through the dust clouds to observe the heat or infrared light being emitted by the stars within.
A specific example of a star being born is the protostar Herbig-Haro Jet HH 24, located in the Orion B molecular cloud complex. This event was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2015 using infrared light, which allows the telescope to look through gas and dust to reveal stars as they are newly formed.
In the center of the image, partially obscured by a dark cloak of dust, a newborn star shoots twin jets of hot gas out into space as a sort of birth announcement to the universe. This star being born is in a “turbulent birthing ground” known as Orion B molecular cloud complex, which is located 1,350 light-years from Earth.
As for creating a star? Give us some time.
PICTURED: Herbig-Haro Jet HH 24