explosions. Over time, much of this material gathered into molecular clouds. Near NGC 2024ΓÇÖs center, the cycle of birth and death repeats itself as new stars form. Millions of years from now, the heaviest of these stars will throw off their outer shells to form planetary nebulae and will eventually explode as supernovae. The material cast off from the explosions will form new molecular clouds, and the cycle will begin again.
