How can a star in the Milkyway be nearly as old as the universe?

In summary, a star named HE-1523-0901 is about half a billion years younger than the universe. While the expansion of the universe after the big bang may have been faster than light, it is still possible for stars from this time period to end up in the Milkyway. This is because the Milkyway is among one of the oldest galaxies, and there are also globular clusters of stars that vary in age. Additionally, the big bang was an explosion of space and there is no center of the universe, so it is not a matter of luck that our solar system is close to the origin of the universe.
  • #1
broncorvette
4
0
A star by the name of HE-1523-0901 is a star only about half a billion years younger than the universe. I understand that the universe expanded faster than light after the big-bang, but I am having a hard time understanding how one star from this time period may have wound up in the Milkyway. It seems improbable.
http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0703414
 
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  • #2
Since the star is about the same age as the milky way, I don't see the problem.
 
  • #3
It's unusual for an individual star to live that long. The very oldest stars are metal poor, and so it's doubly remarkable that this star has enough U and Th to make an accurate determination of its age possible.
 
  • #5
Bill_K said:
It's unusual for an individual star to live that long. The very oldest stars are metal poor, and so it's doubly remarkable that this star has enough U and Th to make an accurate determination of its age possible.

Good point. I didn't think of it that way, and since the OP didn't give any reason for his puzzlement, it's not clear that he did either.
 
  • #6
Mordred said:
http://www.space.com/263-milky-age-narrowed.html

the Milky way is among one of the oldest galaxies see link above

This answered my question perfectly. I found it strange that we would be "lucky" enough to be so close to the origin of the universe. So, though poorly worded, that was my question. As for the thorium and uranium measurements, i did consider that it would be hard for enough to exist to measure correctly, but I don't know enough on dating material in this manner to really offer any real question on it. I supposed that should there be a fault in this type of dating, someone would bring it up as a possible reason behind the age of the star.
 
  • #7
I believe 500 million years is enough time for a significant number of first generation stars to form and to go supernova.
 
  • #8
broncorvette said:
This answered my question perfectly. I found it strange that we would be "lucky" enough to be so close to the origin of the universe. So, though poorly worded, that was my question. As for the thorium and uranium measurements, i did consider that it would be hard for enough to exist to measure correctly, but I don't know enough on dating material in this manner to really offer any real question on it. I supposed that should there be a fault in this type of dating, someone would bring it up as a possible reason behind the age of the star.

Keep in mind that "we", if you extend that to mean not just us but our solar system, were NOT created near the temporal beginning of the universe, even though we are in a galaxy that was. Our solar system is less than 5 billion years old.
 
  • #9
HE-1523-0901 is a Pop II star.
our Galaxy is thought to have grown by the accretion of surrounding material.
we have collection of stars called globuler cluster of which there are about 150-200 around our Galaxy.
these globuler clusters very in age . and is an indication that all the stars in the Galaxy were not all formed at the same time, but rather the galxy also grew by accretion of older matter ..
 
  • #10
broncorvette said:
I found it strange that we would be "lucky" enough to be so close to the origin of the universe. So, though poorly worded, that was my question.
You appear to be thinking that the big bang was an explosion in space about some center of the universe. A much better way to look at things: The big bang was an explosion of space, and there is no center of the universe. (Alternatively, every point in the universe can be viewed as the center.)
 
  • #11
Really interesting, thanks!
 
  • #12
D H said:
You appear to be thinking that the big bang was an explosion in space about some center of the universe. A much better way to look at things: The big bang was an explosion of space, and there is no center of the universe. (Alternatively, every point in the universe can be viewed as the center.)

That helps quite a bit. Thanks. I am new to this arena (studying economics), but i find it interesting, and hopefully i can gain some knowledge through this forum, it is all appreciated.
 

1. How do we know the age of the universe and the stars in the Milky Way?

Scientists determine the age of the universe through a variety of methods, such as studying the expansion rate of the universe and the cosmic microwave background radiation. The age of stars in the Milky Way can be estimated by measuring their brightness and composition, as well as their position in the galaxy.

2. Why are stars in the Milky Way nearly as old as the universe?

Stars in the Milky Way are nearly as old as the universe because they formed from the same material that was present during the Big Bang. As the universe expanded and cooled, the first generation of stars began to form within a few hundred million years.

3. Can stars in the Milky Way be older than the universe?

No, it is not possible for stars in the Milky Way to be older than the universe. The universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old, while the oldest stars in the Milky Way are estimated to be around 13 billion years old. This is because the universe had to exist before stars could form.

4. How do the ages of stars in the Milky Way vary?

The ages of stars in the Milky Way can vary greatly. Some of the oldest stars in the galaxy are estimated to be around 13 billion years old, while younger stars can range from a few million to a few billion years old. This variation is due to the ongoing process of star formation and the lifespan of different types of stars.

5. Can we observe the birth of new stars in the Milky Way?

Yes, we can observe the birth of new stars in the Milky Way through telescopes and other instruments. Scientists can study the formation of stars in different regions of the galaxy, such as in dense gas clouds, and track their development over time. This helps us understand the process of star formation and the evolution of our galaxy.

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