If space is a vacuum, how do stellar winds work?

Question

I just saw something on TV talking about pictures the James Webb telescope took of the “Cosmic Cliffs”, and it mentioned stellar winds shaping the dust clouds of the nebula.

I thought gravity was kind of the only mover of stuff in space. Now there’s wind in space?

In: 0

Answer 1

They are not winds in an earth bound sense.
They are charged particles released by stars, and are plasma made of electrons.
They are projected outwards by reactions in the star, and essentially vibrate their way through space.
They do not “blow” like air molecules moving on earth.