Star formation, conceptual image. Computer illustration showing a cosmic nursery where a star is being born from a dark swirling cloud of dust and gas. Stars form when dark dust from the cloud begins to clump together under the influence of its own gravity. The infalling material forms a disk as it spirals inward, which feeds material onto the forming star at its centre. Jets of material that shoot from the inner disk and protostar herald its birth. Planets will then form out of the remnants of the disk of material that surrounds the infant star.