Observations by space telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), focus heavily on stellar nurseries where massive molecular clouds undergo gravitational collapse, and on deep-space galactic spectroscopy.
Describe the physical processes that lead to the birth of a stable main sequence star from an interstellar cloud of dust and gas. Then, contrast the evolutionary pathways and final remnants of a low-mass star (approximately 1 M⊙1\text{ M}_{\odot}1 M⊙) with those of a high-mass star (greater than 8 M⊙8\text{ M}_{\odot}8 M⊙).
Spectroscopic analysis of light from distant galactic clusters reveals systematic shifts in stellar absorption spectra.
Explain what is meant by 'red-shift' in the context of these spectral observations.
Hubble's law describes the relationship between the distance to a galaxy and its recession velocity. Explain how this correlation supports the Big Bang theory of the universe's origin.
Explain why scientific consensus on cosmological models, such as the expansion rate of the universe, can shift over time.