'Oldest star in universe' is found

[seeder]

'Oldest star in universe' is found - born just after the Big Bang'

"A star near our solar system is the oldest ever detected - it formed shortly after the Big Bang, and could throw light on what happened in the earliest years of the universe"

I loved this bit: "The star, HD 140283 is 13.2 billion years old, and could be much older"

ah right, so we're not really sure then?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/-oldest-star-in-universe--is-found---born-just-after-the-big-bang-120332438.html;_ylt=Au04MTHGBrWlmcT59MEKR1nEfMl_;_ylu=X3oDMTRqZjZsYnA5BG1pdANlZGl0b3JzIHBpY2tzIFJIIENvbCAxNzA5MTIEcGtnA2ExNjUzZDNmLTdmOTYtM2U4NS1iZjAyLTNhNGVmYmQyNzI2OARwb3MDNARzZWMDTWVkaWFCQ2Fyb3VzZW*spam filter*hlZExQQ0EEdmVyAzdhY2VjNTgzLTVlNDItMTFlMi04NmI4LTU0Njk0MTNhYmEzYg--;_ylg=X3oDMTJsOGoxcDhuBGludGwDZ2IEbGFuZwNlbi1nYgRwc3RhaWQDNmYyMDBhYWMtZWMxZC0zZjMxLWIwMTYtZDhkYzJiZmE2YmZhBHBzdGNhdAN1awRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3

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[The Id3al Experience]

I loved this bit: "The star, HD 140283 is 13.2 billion years old, and could be much older"

ah right, so we're not really sure then?

http://uk.news.yahoo...eXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3

.

We are not really sure about a lot of things in the universe that are considered fact, however it is the best estimate based on the data avaliable.

For example, We estimate that the universe itself is 13.7 billion years old, however we are not 100% certain. This is the best answer based of the data and calculations.

Kind Regards

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

awe.

some.

Can we rename it Adam or Methuselah...

[Sean93]

It'd be awesome if it had old habitable planets around it. Imagine if a race there developed and evolved in intellect for all those years...Imagine their smartness; they'd be like the Forerunners from Halo or the Firstborn from A Space Oddesey

Of course given the distance, they could have been wiped out by now if their sun supernovaed.

[Sean93]

On a more related note: I find this fascinating. We're literally looking at the baby steps of existence and if you like, 'the hand of god'...spooky, spectacular and humbling.

[seeder]

awe.

some.

Can we rename it Adam or Methuselah...

Or Genesis?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I loved this bit: "The star, HD 140283 is 13.2 billion years old, and could be much older"

ah right, so we're not really sure then?

You might not be, but the astronomers are.

It is good scientific practice to show the level of uncertainty in a result, it's called experimental error. The astronomers estimate this star to be 13.9 billion years old ±700 million years (source: Nature). Thus they are sure that this star is at least 13.2 billion years old.

Of course given the distance, they could have been wiped out by now if their sun supernovaed.

The star is only 190 light years away, so it was still there as of 2 centuries ago. Also the fact it is an old star excludes it from going supernova. Stars which become supernovae are very large and use up their fuel rapidly. They live fast and die young.

[Drayno]

This is way cool. Even if they're basing the age purely off of estimates, this is seriously on ancient star.

[shadowlark]

Or Genesis?

No, let's call it Methos!

[hulabaloo]

Hello,

if this oldest star in the universe, is near our solar system..what are the odds that it resides near us and does this mean anything spooky?

[libstaK]

This is way cool. Even if they're basing the age purely off of estimates, this is seriously on ancient star.

If only it could speak the tales it could tell, ai mi.

[Drayno]

If only it could speak the tales it could tell, ai mi.

It has certainly seen a lot of matter passing by. Moons created. Moons destroyed and bombarded with material from foreign solar systems.

It has probably even seen Alien life.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Eonwe