Researchers analyzed high-resolution data taken from a ten-meter telescope in Hawaii and uncovered new insights regarding three mysterious stars situated at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Three Mysterious Baby Stars in Milky Way's Heart
The three stars were found to be oddly young and to have distinct chemical compositions, which came as a surprise to the researchers.
The study entitled "A Wide Metallicity Range for Gyr-old Stars in the Nuclear Star Cluster" looked into stars situated in the nuclear star cluster that the galaxy's heart consists of. It covers three mysterious stars that are difficult to peer into due to their immense distance from the solar system and to being hidden by huge gas and dust clouds that block light out.
Moreover, because several stars fill the area, it is also hard to discern specific stars.
In an earlier study, the researchers hypothesized that the stars within the Milky Way's heart could be oddly young. Astronomy researcher Rebecca Forsberg from Lund University explains that they were able to confirm this as, through the new study, they were able to date the stars and discover that they were relatively young. The three stars were found to be roughly 100 million to 1 billion years old, which is relatively young when compared to the 4.6-billion-year-old Sun.
While the nuclear star cluster has been seen in an old part of the galaxy, the researchers' findings of young stars show that active star formation could be taking place in this ancient area of the galaxy.
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Examining Baby Stars
As part of the study, the researchers made use of the Keck II telescope's high-resolution data. The Keck II telescope in Hawaii is one of the largest telescopes in the world, having a mirror with a 10-meter diameter.
To verify further, the researchers also looked into the iron content of the stars. Iron is crucial for tracing the development of the galaxy, as astronomical theories pertaining to galaxy development and star formation show that young stars have more elements that are heavy. These heavy elements are increasingly formed as time passes in the universe.
To examine iron levels, the researchers looked into the spectra of the stars in infrared light. Compared to optical light, infrared light is part of the spectrum of light that can easily shine through parts of the Milky Way that are densely laden with dust.
Astronomy researcher Brian Thorsbro explains that the extreme spread of iron levels could show that the galaxy's innermost parts are remarkably unmixed or inhomogeneous, which was quite unexpected for them. It also reveals something regarding how the early universe may have appeared.
The study sheds light on the understanding of the early universe and on the function of the Milky Way's center. The findings could also inspire explorations of the galaxy's heart and the development of simulations and models pertaining to star and galaxy formation.
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