In a groundbreaking discovery, an international team of astronomers has identified a unique type of stars in the center of the Milky Way. Dubbed “Old Smokers,” these stars exhibit an extraordinary behavior that has never been observed before. The findings were presented on Friday.
“Old smokers” are in the twilight phase of their existence and typically remain invisible. However, they occasionally undergo a remarkable transformation, emitting clouds of “exhaust” resembling smoke. Astrophysicist Philip Lucas, one of the study’s authors, stressed the significance of this phenomenon.
The research project, spanning a decade, originally aimed to investigate newborn stars known for their intense brightness. Using the powerful Vista telescope located in the Chilean Andes, scientists successfully identified a record-breaking number of 32 newborn stars. However, the true highlight was the discovery of these mysterious “old smokers.”
These stars reside within a densely packed and metal-rich region of our galaxy known as the nuclear stellar disk. They can abruptly dim in intensity by 40-100 times, making them barely visible in the infrared spectrum. After a few years, they return to their usual brightness.
Lucas revealed that the exact reasons behind this behavior remain elusive. It is speculated that the “smoke curtains” momentarily obscure the stars from observation, potentially influencing the dispersion of heavy elements within and beyond our galaxy. While at least 21 “old smokers” have been identified, scientists believe there may be many more awaiting discovery.
The findings have been published in the esteemed journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, shedding new light on the intricate processes unfolding at the heart of the Milky Way.