In a set of articles featured in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, researchers examined data from a ten-year Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope (VISTA) survey.
VISTA enables monitoring of hundreds of millions of stars in infrared, with the team scrutinizing around 200 stars displaying significant brightness fluctuations to unveil intricate stellar dynamics.
VISTA Unveils Hidden Stars: Revolutionizing Telescopic Astronomy
In the early stages of telescopic astronomy, the focus was limited to a small portion of the sky, requiring meticulous manual observations centered around specific celestial objects like nebulas, galaxies, quasars, or pulsars.
However, technological advancements over time have led to the development of telescopes capable of capturing vast expanses of the sky simultaneously, aided by automation for mapping the entire celestial sphere.
While early sky surveys demanded years to complete, contemporary surveys equipped with modern technology can detect changes within weeks or even days. This transformative ability to monitor celestial changes is revolutionizing astronomy, yielding intriguing outcomes. An illustrative example involves an infrared sky survey that has brought to light previously unnoticed stars.
Astronomers conducting a decade-long survey using the VISTA made a significant discovery. They uncovered a plethora of hidden stars, ranging from violently erupting newborn protostars to a unique class of ancient giant red stars termed "old smokers."
These elderly giants, found at the core of the Milky Way, remain dormant for extended periods before emitting extensive clouds of smoke, altering our understanding of stellar behavior.
The VISTA survey, known as VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV), scrutinized nearly 1 billion stars, revealing the unexpected category of old smokers and identifying dozens of erupting protostars among 222 closely observed stars. The findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of the dynamic processes occurring within our galaxy, showcasing the transformative impact of advanced sky surveys.
Old Smokers: New Type of Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy
Astronomers using VISTA uncovered hidden stars near the Milky Way's core, previously obscured by gas and dust. VISTA's infrared capabilities allowed it to penetrate these obstacles, revealing protostars undergoing outbursts. The team sought to understand how these events impact star formation in young systems.
They identified 32 intensely bright protostars, exploring the evolving nature of their eruptions. Unexpectedly, the survey also found a new type of giant red star, labeled "old smokers," exhibiting unexplained brightness fluctuations. Concentrated in the galactic nuclear disk, solving this mystery could clarify element distribution in cosmic processes.
The newly discovered "old smokers," 21 red stars in the Milky Way's heart, posed intriguing questions. Initially uncertain about their nature, the team, through light spectra analysis, identified them as a distinct type of giant red star.
Situated in the nuclear disk with high metal concentrations, their sudden emission of clouds of smoke remains unexplained. Solving this puzzle is crucial for understanding element distribution and the role of ejected matter in forming stars and planets, challenging previous assumptions about Mira variables' exclusive involvement.
The findings shed light on stellar processes and challenges preconceived notions about heavy element dispersion in galaxies. The discovery of "old smokers" introduces a new perspective on matter ejection from stars, potentially impacting our understanding of cosmic element cycles and their role in the formation of future celestial bodies.
RELATED ARTICLE: Stars Forming at Faster Rate in Milky Way Galaxy Than Previously Thought, Study Reveals
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