"Unveiling Ancient 'Old Smokers' and 'Screaming' Newborn Stars in the Milky Way"

Astronomers have discovered a new category of ancient giant red stars, dubbed "old smokers," as well as violently erupting newborn protostars in the Milky Way's heart through a 10-year survey with the VISTA telescope. The team found 32 erupting protostars and 21 "old smokers," which are red stars that suddenly emit clouds of smoke after sitting quietly for decades. These discoveries could provide insights into the distribution of heavy elements in the cosmos and the formation of stars and planets.