Star Formation in the Milky Way and Nearby Galaxies

2012/04/30 by Robert C. Kennicutt, Robert C. Kennicutt Jr, Neal J. Evans +1 · 2,906 citations
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy formation and evolution #Galaxy merger #Intergalactic star #Milky Way #Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure #Molecular cloud #Physics #Star count #Star formation #Stars #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.GA

paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-astro-081811-125610

published in Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 50(1), 531-608 (Annual Reviews) · 55 pages, 15 figures, in press for Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics; Updated with corrected equation 5, improved references, and other minor changes

arxiv created 2012/06/22 · openalex publication_date 2012/08/28 · arxiv updated 2015/06/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

We review progress over the past decade in observations of large-scale star formation, with a focus on the interface between extragalactic and Galactic studies. Methods of measuring gas contents and star-formation rates are discussed, and updated prescriptions for calculating star-formation rates are provided. We review relations between star formation and gas on scales ranging from entire galaxies to individual molecular clouds.

Citations

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• STAR FORMATION IN GALAXIES ALONG THE HUBBLE SEQUENCE
• Theory of Star Formation
• The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope Legacy Survey of Nearby Star‐forming Regions in the Gould Belt
• Galactic Stellar and Substellar Initial Mass Function
• The Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope

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