Scientists have discovered something incredible—the “ancient heart” of the Milky Way!

It’s a group of about 18,000 stars that are some of the oldest in our galaxy, dating back more than 12 billion years. These stars formed when the universe was young and the Milky Way was just starting to take shape.

They’re located deep in the center of the galaxy, in a region astronomers had a hard time studying because of all the dust and gas in the way. Using advanced telescopes and special tools, scientists were able to peek through the cosmic clutter and find these stars, giving us a glimpse into the Milky Way’s earliest days.