Using Vista Variables data from the Via Lactea (VVV) survey of our galaxy, an international team of astronomers has discovered two strange stellar behaviors unknown to science. “Old smokers” and “explosive newborns” have been discovered among the billions of stars in our galaxy. There is still no reliable explanation for either phenomenon, and researchers are calling on scientists to uncover their secrets. The study of VVV was carried out over a period of about 10 years with his VISTA telescope at the Cerro Paranal summit observatory in the Chilean Andes. His VISTA telescope with a 4 m mirror is sensitive in both the optical and infrared ranges and can see deep into dust and gas clouds. That’s why he also searched for dark objects, such as old, dying stars and embryonic stars in protoplanetary disks. While analyzing red giant stars, scientists unexpectedly identified a group of 21 stars behaving inexplicably. “These old stars remain stationary for years or decades, then emit smoke in completely unexpected ways. “For several years they appear very dull and red, and sometimes they are not visible at all. ” the scientists said of their discovery. This behavior earned these stars the humorous nickname “old smokers.” In all seriousness, this discovery set the stage for the emergence of a new class or subclass of stars. It is surprising that such stars are only found near the center of the Milky Way, where the interstellar medium is rich in heavy elements. No such phenomenon has been observed anywhere else in our galaxy. Scientists believe that “old smokers” may play an important role in the evolution of chemical elements in the universe. His second object, new to science, was an “exploding baby.” These are newborn stars surrounded by a protoplanetary disk. Some of these stars exhibited unusual activity, powerful, irregular outbursts that cannot be explained by current theories of stellar evolution. Artists’ impressions of the “explosive” emerging star “These flares occur within the slowly rotating disk of material that is forming the new solar system. They help the newborn star in the center grow, but they also make planet formation more difficult. “We do not yet know why the drive becomes so unstable,” the company said in a press release.

source: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/528/2/1789/7589621?searchresult=1&login=false