...beyond the planets lie the stars...

We see them, night after night, little realizing even the simplest details of their lives. Yet, clues to their lifestyles can be found their brightness and even in the colors they flash.

Stars are born in clouds of gas and dust, and take millions of years to mature. They may form with planets, or they may not -- depending on a myriad of factors at work in the stellar nursery.

What could the birth of a star be like? The answer to that question lies hidden in the constellation Orion. Buried deep within a wispy, greenish nebula below the belt of Orion, we can begin our search for an understanding of starbirth.