MIT astronomers discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, and they live in our own galactic neighborhood. The stars are in the Milky Way’s “halo” — the cloud of stars that envelopes the entire main galactic disk — and they appear to have formed between 12 and 13 billion years ago, when the very first galaxies were taking shape.

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MIT researchers have discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, known as SASS stars, in the Milky Way's halo. These stars formed between 12 and 13 billion years ago and offer insights into the evolution of ultrafaint dwarf galaxies. The researchers used a method involving low chemical abundances and tracking orbital patterns to identify these ancient stars.

MIT researchers discover the universe’s oldest stars in our own galactic backyard