At what point does a star begin to release photons???

Answer 1

Gas in even the earliest stages of star formation emits photons---interstellar gas clouds emit strongly in the far infrared and radio. A protostar emits photons all through the process of star formation (this is how we can see what's going on with star formation). When the protostar is building up mass, it gets hotter and hotter and begins to emit visible light, powered by the gravitational potential energy of gas falling into it. Eventually the core of the star begins to burn hydrogen, and the star brightens up considerably, begins to blow off the protostellar nebula, and move to the main sequence.

Answer 2

well we wouldnt call it a star unless it was "releasing" photons. this can be a complex answer since everything releases photons at all times but ill make it simple. a star "lights up" when it has enough mass to condense its core so tightly that atoms fuse together releasing photons as a byproduct....