What is the critical minimum mass generally cited for an object to achieve sustained hydrogen fusion and be classified as a true star?
Answer
0.08 times the mass of the Sun ($0.08 M_{\odot}$)
For an object to become a true star, it must reach the mass threshold necessary for sustained nuclear fusion of ordinary hydrogen (protium) in its core, which is cited as approximately $0.08 M_{\odot}$.
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