"Discovery of 'Old Smokers': Giant Ancient Stars Unveiled in Milky Way"

Astronomers have discovered a new type of star, nicknamed "old smokers," in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. These stars exhibit a peculiar behavior of sitting quietly for long periods before suddenly puffing out a cloud of smoke, which temporarily obscures them from sight. The discovery was made during a 10-year survey using the VISTA telescope in Chile, where researchers were initially searching for newborn stars but stumbled upon these mysterious old smokers. The stars, located in the densely packed Nuclear Stellar Disc, could play a significant role in the distribution of heavy elements throughout the galaxy.