Stars are the building blocks of our universe. The light they produce dictates how galaxies and planetary systems evolve. A star's mass at birth dictates how it will evolve. Stars are forged in stellar nurseries that are huge clouds of gas and dust. Star formation is a difficult process to observe, so we often rely on simulations to provide us with clues about how stars form. In this AstroTour, we will explore how stars form out of interstellar gas and how stars of different kinds live out their lives.
Shivan is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on the birthplaces of stars, giant molecular clouds. He performs simulations run on supercomputers to try to gain insight into the physical processes that drive the evolution of these stellar nurseries. Outside of research, Shivan enjoys hiking, playing and watching soccer, watching documentaries and dabbling in photography.