The Most Metal-Free Star Ever Observed is Found In Our Own Backyard

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Illustration showing the fraction of elements for a first-generation star vs the Sun. First-generation stars are almost entirely hydrogen and helium, while the Sun also contains heavier elements astronomers call metals. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Astronomers find a nearly metal-free star in our own back yard, which tells us a few interesting things about early star formation.