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Ancient Star Reveals Insights on Early Cosmic Conditions

4/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The ultra-ancient star SDSS J0715-7334 contains only about 0.005% of the Sun’s metals.
It formed in the Large Magellanic Cloud and later migrated to the Milky Way.
A team of University of Chicago undergraduates, led by Professor Alex Ji, identified the star using Sloan Digital Sky Survey data.
The discovery offers insights into early cosmic conditions and informs future astronomical research.

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Story summary

The ultra-ancient star SDSS J0715-7334 contains only about 0.005% of the Sun’s metals.
It formed in the Large Magellanic Cloud and later migrated to the Milky Way.
A team of University of Chicago undergraduates, led by Professor Alex Ji, identified the star using Sloan Digital Sky Survey data.
The discovery offers insights into early cosmic conditions and informs future astronomical research.