Astronomers Discover Mysterious 'Old Smoker' Stars in the Heart of the Milky Way

These Previously Hidden Aging Giants Could Play a Role in Distributing Elements Across the Universe

A decade-long survey of the night sky has revealed a mysterious new type of star astronomers are referring to as an 'old smoker.'
These previously hidden stellar objects are aging, giant stars located near the heart of the Milky Way galaxy.
The stars are inactive for decades and fade until they’re almost invisible before belching out clouds of smoke and dust.
Astronomers think these stars could play a role in distributing elements across the universe.
The observations were carried out with the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope, situated at a vantage point high in the Chilean Andes at the Cerro Paranal Observatory.