Lead in the stars

2001/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astrofisika
• Astronomia

Lead remains have been detected in some stars located at 1,600 light-years.

In general, the chemical elements are formed in the stars. In fact, stars are gigantic nuclear power stations in which heavy atoms are generated that emit radiation, light and heat. The raw material is the simplest elements, hydrogen and helium. These large spatial reactors generate nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, calcium, chlorine, sulfur and many other elements. Therefore, many times it has been said that all beings are made of dust of stars.

However, the chemical production of stars is limited. Precisely because of the peculiarities of the nuclei of atoms, rarely are elements heavier than iron, and only in a very particular type of stars. Among them, it was considered to be stars type IGB.

Belgian astronomers have demonstrated through the ESO telescope that lead is produced in IGB stars. Lead remains have been found in the spectrum of light from the stars HD187861, HD196944 and HD224959, estimating that there are large amounts of this metal.