Accretion Disk

Disk-shaped cloud of gas and solids in orbital motion around a central protostarStar in the process of formation, which has not yet become hot enough in the core to initiate hydrogen burning (~107 K) to halt its gravitational collapse. Its luminosity results from the release of gravitational potential energy from the infall of nebula material from its accretion disk. Click on Term to Read More or some other massive central body.