| interstellar medium | |
noun | |
| interstellar space including streams of protons moving from the stars |
interstellar medium  (ĭn'tər-stěl'ər) Pronunciation Key
Material, mostly hydrogen gas, other gases, and dust, occupying the space between the stars and providing the raw material for the formation of new stars. Nebulae are the most distinct areas of the interstellar medium; they appear when the clouds of gas and dust cluster due to interaction with nearby stars or star remnants. |