A team of astronomers found a star near the Large Magellanic Cloud. The star has almost no metals and is made mostly of hydrogen and helium. Because of this, scientists say it is like the first stars in the universe.
The object was flagged for follow-up in 2014 as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Researchers used a large telescope and high-resolution spectra to measure the star's chemical makeup. The spectra show only very small amounts of heavier elements such as carbon and iron.
The team will continue to study old stars to learn more about how the Milky Way formed and how early stars exploded and mixed their material into space.
Difficult words
- astronomer — A scientist who studies stars and spaceastronomers
- metal — A chemical element that is often solid and shinymetals
- hydrogen — A very light gas that stars are mostly made of
- helium — A light gas found in stars and the universe
- spectrum — Light separated into different colors or signalsspectra
- flag — To mark something for later study or actionflagged
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is it important to study old stars?
- What tools did the researchers use in this study?
- Would you like to learn more about space? Why or why not?
Related articles
Astronomers image two collisions at Fomalhaut
Astronomers imaged the dusty aftermath of two collisions between large bodies around the nearby young star Fomalhaut, the first such images beyond the solar system. Teams will track the expanding dust with Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.
Study: Many small galaxies may lack central black holes
A University of Michigan-led study using Chandra X-ray data finds many dwarf galaxies do not show signs of central supermassive black holes. The result suggests the biggest black holes may have formed large early and could be tested by future missions.
