These stars were discovered to be uncommonly young with a confusing chemical structure that surprised the researchers.The study, which has actually been released in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, analyzed a group of stars found in the nuclear star cluster that makes up the heart of the galaxy. The fact that the location is likewise full of stars makes it really made complex to recognize individual stars.In a previous study, the researchers put forward a hypothesis that these particular stars in the middle of the Milky Way might be uncommonly young.Verification of Young Stars in the Galaxys Core”We can now validate this. The component is important for tracing the galaxys development, as the theories the astronomers have about how stars are formed and galaxies develop show that young stars have more of the heavy components, as heavy components are formed to an increasing extent over time in the universe.To identify the level of iron, the astronomers observed the stars spectra in infrared light which, compared with optical light, are parts of the light spectrum that can more quickly shine through the densely dust-laden parts of the Milky Way.
The image, taken with ESOs Very Large Telescope in Chile, shows a high-resolution view of the innermost parts of the Milky Way. In the brand-new research study, the scientists analyzed the dense nuclear star cluster revealed in detail here. Credit: ESOThrough the study of detailed information obtained from an effective ten-meter telescope located in Hawaii, a team of scientists at Lund University in Sweden have actually made significant discoveries regarding 3 stars situated in the main region of the Milky Way galaxy. These stars were discovered to be unusually young with a perplexing chemical composition that amazed the researchers.The research study, which has been released in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, analyzed a group of stars found in the nuclear star cluster that makes up the heart of the galaxy. It concerns three stars that are difficult to study because they are incredibly far away from our solar system, and hidden behind huge clouds of dust and gas that block out light. The fact that the area is likewise loaded with stars makes it extremely complicated to determine individual stars.In a previous study, the researchers advanced a hypothesis that these specific stars in the middle of the Milky Way might be unusually young.Verification of Young Stars in the Galaxys Core”We can now verify this. In our study, we have had the ability to date 3 of these stars as relatively young, a minimum of as far as astronomers are concerned, with ages of 100 million to about 1 billion years. This can be compared to the sun, which is 4.6 billion years old,” says Rebecca Forsberg, a researcher in astronomy at Lund University.The nuclear star cluster has mainly been seen, rather rightly, as a really ancient part of the galaxy. However the researchers brand-new discovery of such young stars shows that there is likewise active star formation going on in this ancient part of the Milky Way. Dating stars 25,000 light years from Earth is not something that can be done in a hurry.The researchers used high-resolution information from the Keck II telescope in Hawaii, one of the worlds biggest telescopes with a mirror 10 meters in size. For more verification, they then measured just how much of the heavy component, iron, the stars contained. The element is important for tracing the galaxys advancement, as the theories the astronomers have about how stars are formed and galaxies develop suggest that young stars have more of the heavy elements, as heavy components are formed to an increasing level with time in the universe.To figure out the level of iron, the astronomers observed the stars spectra in infrared light which, compared to optical light, are parts of the light spectrum that can more quickly shine through the densely dust-laden parts of the Milky Way. It was revealed that the iron levels differed significantly, which surprised the researchers.Implications for Understanding the Galaxy and the Universe”The really broad spread of iron levels could suggest that the innermost parts of the galaxy are exceptionally inhomogeneous, i.e. unmixed. This is something we had actually not expected and not only states something about how the center of the galaxy appears, however also how the early universe may have looked,” states Brian Thorsbro, a scientist in astronomy at Lund University.The study sheds considerable light on our understanding of the early universe and the functioning of the very center of the Milky Way. The outcomes may likewise be of advantage to influence future and continued expeditions of the heart of the galaxy, as well as the additional advancement of designs and simulations of the formation of galaxies and stars.”Personally, I believe it is very interesting that we can now study the very center of our galaxy with such a high level of detail. These types of measurements have actually been standard for observations of the galactic disc where we are located, but have actually been unreachable objectives for more faraway and exotic parts of the galaxy. We can discover a lot about how our home galaxy was formed and established from such research studies,” concludes Rebecca Forsberg.Reference: “A Wide Metallicity Range for Gyr-old Stars in the Nuclear Star Cluster” by B. Thorsbro, R. Forsberg, G. Kordopatis, A. Mastrobuono-Battisti, R. P. Church, R. M. Rich, N. Ryde, M. Schultheis and S. Nishiyama, 21 November 2023, The Astrophysical Journal Letters.DOI: 10.3847/ 2041-8213/ ad08b1In addition to Lund University, the following companies and college institutions participated in the research study: Observatoire de la Côte dAzur, the University of Tokyo, Observatoire de Paris, the University of California Los Angeles, and Miyagi University of Education.