A group of astronomers made a fascinating discovery in our Milky Way galaxy. They stumbled upon a peculiar type of star, known as the “old smoker,” which exhibits a unique behavior. These stars, nearing the end of their lifespan, spend long periods of time in quiet contemplation, almost invisible, before suddenly releasing a cloud of smoke. This behavior has never been observed in red giants before, according to astrophysicist Philip Lucas.

Interestingly, the team of scientists was not actively searching for these aging stars during their extensive 10-year survey. Their primary focus was on identifying newborn stars, called proto-stars, which are known for their frequent and exuberant eruptions. Surprisingly, they managed to spot an impressive 32 proto-stars, the largest number ever found in a single batch. However, amidst this exciting discovery, the presence of the “old smokers” added an unexpected and delightful twist to their research.

‘We don’t fully understand’

The Nuclear Stellar Disc, a densely packed and metal-rich region located in the center of the Milky Way, was the unexpected location where the old smokers were indulging in their habit. Surprisingly, these stars were observed to be inactive, not engaging in any significant activity.

However, their behavior took a sudden turn as they dimmed significantly, sometimes to the point where they were barely detectable by the telescope’s infrared vision. After a few years, these stars would then regain their former brightness without any prior indication.

Lucas, the researcher, expressed astonishment at this discovery, stating that it seemed like the stars were emitting smoke-like particles for reasons that are not yet fully comprehended. These smoke puffs are believed to temporarily obstruct our view of the stars. Lucas also noted that the presence of a higher concentration of heavy elements in this region of the galaxy could contribute to the creation of more dust in the stars’ atmospheres. However, the exact cause of this dust emission remains a mystery.

However, if this hypothesis proves to be accurate, the ejection of matter from these stars could potentially have a substantial impact on the distribution of heavy elements within our galaxy and even beyond, according to his statement.

Lucas stressed that these initial estimations were merely speculative.

“We are currently exploring various possibilities in order to determine the most plausible explanation,” he remarked.

The scientists identified a minimum of 21 ancient smokers, although they believe that there may be numerous others yet to be discovered.

The findings of this research were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

This article is republished from PhysORG under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Do not forget to share your opinion with us to provide you with the best posts !