What is a star before its born?

Before a star is born, it exists as a dense region within a molecular cloud, primarily composed of gas and dust. This region, known as a protostar, undergoes gravitational collapse, causing the material to clump together and heat up. As the temperature and pressure increase in the core, nuclear fusion begins, marking the transition from a protostar to a main-sequence star. Thus, a star's life begins with the intricate processes of formation and transformation within stellar nurseries.