Discovery of the "Most Pristine" Star
Astronomers have discovered a surprisingly "pristine" red giant with the lowest concentration of heavy elements ever seen in a star, likely a direct descendant of one of the universe's first stars.
This unusual star, found near the edge of the Milky Way, breaks a major rule of star formation due to its metal-poor composition.
It is so metal-poor that it challenges our understanding of star formation.
All known stars are powered by nuclear fusion, where atoms of lighter elements are fused into heavier elements under immense pressure, emitting large amounts of energy.
For example, hydrogen fuses into helium, the most abundant elements in stars.
Author's summary: Astronomers discovered a "pristine" star near the Milky Way's edge.