Astronomers have discovered an unusual type of star hidden at the heart of the Milky Way

The researchers revealed that A new kind of starA nickname “The Old Smoker”Located in the heart milky way. The discovery, the result of a decade of exhaustive observation of the night sky, expands knowledge about it Celestial phenomena And this Organ distribution in the universe.

“Ex-Smokers” Aging giant stars It became almost invisible before suddenly exploding and releasing massive amounts of material, after decades of being dormant. These events are not only visually spectacular, but play an important role Enrichment of the interstellar medium with various components.

Detailed observations of these celestial bodies, which alternate long periods of inactivity with sporadic eruptions spewing clouds of smoke and dust, were published in four studies on January 25, 2024. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Research used Visible and Infrared Survey TelescopeStrategically located Cerro Paranal ObservatoryIn The Chilean AndesTo capture the infrared light of these stars, invisible to the human eye, allowing us to discover these previously hidden stellar objects.

Precise positioning of the telescope on high mountains and adoption of observational techniques in the infrared spectrum were key to this discovery. “These stars are like ghosts in a telescope, spewing material into space until they decide to reveal themselves.” Astronomers explain in reports collected by cnn.

The research underlying these findings involves the observation of nearly a billion stars, a testament to the scale and ambition of the project. This painstaking work allowed astronomers to gather important data about the nature and behavior of aging stars. An understanding of the universe. “The study of these 'old smokers' not only sheds light on their spectral nature, but also provides us with important clues about the processes of star formation and evolution.” The researchers pointed out.

In a pioneering effort to find Birth StarsScientists use Very Large Telescope (VLT) of European Southern Observatory They identified 32 stars in childhood Increases their brightness up to 300 times. These young stars are also known as ProtostelesThe Milky Way is obscured behind dense clouds of dust and gas, preventing detection using visible light.

However, the use of infrared light has allowed astronomers to penetrate these barriers, revealing objects that would otherwise be hidden or too faint to notice.

A group of Philip LucasProfessor of Astrophysics University of Hertfordshire and lead author of one of the relevant studies Dr. Jen Guo, Fondecyt Postdoc Fellow In Valparaiso University And the lead author of the two studies tracked hundreds of millions of stars and focused on those that experienced significant changes in their brightness.

As Lucas explained, “two-thirds of the stars were easy to classify, and the rest presented great challenges,” leading the team to use specialized instruments like the VLT to study the stars individually.

In Guo's words, “Our core mission is discovery Birth Stars While they are rare, they experience large bursts that last from months to years or even decades. These explosions occur in a slowly rotating disk of newly formed material The Solar SystemAlthough the instability of the disks hinders the formation of planets, the star at the center helps it grow.

Of the observed stars, 222 stars experienced significant changes in their brightness, increasing their luminosity by up to 40 times and, in some cases, indicating flare-like events. 300 times. Many of these flares are active, giving astronomers a unique opportunity to closely follow how these stars form over time. According to the team, these observations will help us better understand why disks become unstable and how this process develops. New solar systems.