Summary: Issues in Galactic Star Formation

Abstract

Many new ideas, ground-based and space-based observations, theories, and numerical computations have considerably advanced our knowledge of star formation over the past few decades. This summary of the main physical ingredients in the process emphasizes the many questions that still remain unanswered or controversial. With more powerful telescopes and computers that will be available over the next decade, some of these questions will be further clarified, and further insights will contribute to this evolving subject. The topics covered in this text start with the assumed existence of molecular clouds over a range of masses, and end with stars in hydrostatic equilibrium, having a photospheric spectrum, and proceeding through the contraction phase toward the main sequence.