"Discovery of 'Old Smoker' Stars Unveils Milky Way's Ancient Secrets"

Astronomers have discovered a new type of star in the Milky Way, nicknamed "old smokers," which exhibit a peculiar puffing behavior. These red giants sit quietly for long periods before suddenly emitting clouds of smoke, a phenomenon never seen before. The discovery was made during a 10-year survey using the VISTA telescope in Chile, initially aimed at finding newborn stars. The stars, located in the Nuclear Stellar Disc near the galaxy's center, are believed to be throwing off puffs of dust for reasons not fully understood, potentially impacting the distribution of heavy elements in the galaxy.