Scientists find evidence of the universe’s first massive stars
Exciting news from the world of astronomy!
A team of scientists led by Professor ZHAO Gang of the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) has found evidence that the universe’s very first stars, known as “first stars,” were even more massive than we thought.
This discovery comes from studying a peculiar star called LAMOST J1010+2358, located in our own Milky Way galaxy.
When we look up at the night sky, we see stars of different sizes, ages, and compositions.
The very first stars in the universe, formed shortly after the Big Bang, are believed to be quite different from the ones we see today.
They were huge, some possibly reaching 100 times the size of our sun! Scientists believe the largest of these first stars ended their lives in extraordinary explosions called pair instability supernovae (PISNe).
This particular type of supernova differs from the supernovae known to us. They leave behind a unique chemical fingerprint, a kind of space-born signature. So far, no such signature has been discovered.
That changed with the discovery of LAMOST J1010+2358. This star has a strange mix of elements that suggest it formed from the remains of a PISN.
Its most notable features are its extremely low levels of sodium and cobalt, much lower than what we find in the sun. There is also an unusual difference between the amounts of certain other elements.
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This discovery is a big deal in the world of astrophysics. It helps confirm some theories about how these colossal stars may have evolved and exploded. It also suggests that the second generation of stars formed after these explosions may be richer in metals than previously thought.
Before this discovery, we had no direct evidence that such massive stars and their supernovae even existed. Now we have a clear sign right there in the chemical makeup of a star in our own galaxy.
So the next time you look up at the night sky, remember that these tiny points of light hold the secrets of some of the universe’s greatest mysteries. And bit by bit we uncover these secrets.
What a time to be alive!
