starburst

[ stahr-burst ]

noun

1. a pattern of lines or rays radiating from a central point.
2. Astronomy. an intense and sudden episode of star formation in a galaxy.
3. Photography. a camera lens attachment that produces star shapes of reflected light.

starburst

/ ˈstɑːˌbɜːst /

noun

1. a pattern of rays or lines radiating from a light source
2. photog a lens attachment which produces a starburst effect

starburst

/ stär′bûrst′ /

1. The rapid formation of large numbers of new stars in a galaxy at a rate high enough to alter the structure of the galaxy significantly. Starburst galaxies, which are very luminous, form stars at rates that are between tens and hundreds of times faster than those of ordinary galaxies. Initial star formation is believed to be brought on by violent events such as collisions, or near collisions, with other galaxies, in which shockwaves cause the gases in the interstellar medium to collapse into protostars . The resulting stars are generally massive and short-lived. These stars become supernovae that create further shock waves, triggering yet more star formation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of starburst¹

First recorded in 1830–40, for an earlier sense; 1950–55 starburst fordef 1; 1980–85 starburst fordef 2; 1965–70 starburst fordef 3; star ( def ) + burst ( def )

Example Sentences

As he finished a joint of Pure Beauty Spritzer, a budtender delivered a roll of Starburst candy and a box of water to him on a silver tray.

From Los Angeles Times

"M82 has garnered a variety of observations over the years because it can be considered as the prototypical starburst galaxy," said Bolatto, lead author of the study.

From Science Daily

Additionally, these NIRCam images of the very center of the starburst were obtained using an instrument mode that prevented the very bright source from overwhelming the detector.

From Science Daily

Webb's observations of M82 in near-infrared light spur further questions about star formation, some of which the team hopes to answer with additional data gathered with Webb, including that of another starburst galaxy.

From Science Daily

Spectral data will help astronomers determine accurate ages for the star clusters and provide a sense of timing for how long each phase of star formation lasts in a starburst galaxy environment.

From Science Daily