Astronomers Discover Most Primitive Star Yet

The ultra-metal-poor star SDSS J0715-7334 may provide clues about the first generation of stars in the universe.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:07am

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A bold, highly structured abstract painting in muted earth tones, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex stellar formation and supernova processes that created the ultra-metal-poor star SDSS J0715-7334.An abstract visualization of the cosmic forces that gave birth to one of the most primitive stars in the observable universe.Hawkins Today

Researchers have discovered the most metal-poor, chemically primitive star ever found, located near the Large Magellanic Cloud satellite galaxy. The star, SDSS J0715-7334, is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium and contains less than 0.005% of the metals in the Sun, making it the closest analog yet found to the first stars that formed in the universe.

Why it matters

Studying this low-mass, ultra-metal-poor star could help clarify astronomers' ideas about the first generation of stars, called Population III stars, which astronomers cannot observe directly. Understanding the properties of this first stellar generation is crucial for understanding the early universe.

The details

SDSS J0715-7334 was formed from a gas cloud that had recently interacted with the material ejected by a Population III star's supernova. By analyzing the ratios of elements in SDSS J0715-7334, astronomers can explore the mass of that Population III star and the energy of its supernova explosion. The composition of SDSS J0715-7334 indicates that the Population III star was both unusually massive and exploded with uncommon vigor.

  • SDSS J0715-7334 was originally identified as a star of interest in 2014 as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
  • The current findings from the survey are published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

The players

Kevin Schlaufman

An associate professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University who originally identified SDSS J0715-7334 as a star of interest.

Alexander Ji

An assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago and the first author of the study.

Sloan Digital Sky Survey

The survey that discovered the ultra-metal-poor star SDSS J0715-7334.

Magellan Clay Telescope

The telescope used to analyze data on SDSS J0715-7334 and determine its composition.

Large Magellanic Cloud

A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way where SDSS J0715-7334 is located.

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What they’re saying

“No Population III stars have ever been observed, either because they were massive, lived fast, and died young, or the lowest-mass Population III stars that could persist to the present day are extremely rare. Either way, the properties of this first stellar generation are some of the most important unknowns in modern astrophysics.”

— Kevin Schlaufman, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

“These pristine stars are windows into the dawn of stars and galaxies in the universe.”

— Alexander Ji, Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago

“It's possible that we're going to find a relatively higher proportion of ultra-metal-poor stars in galaxies like the Magellanic Clouds than in our own Milky Way Galaxy.”

— Kevin Schlaufman, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

What’s next

As part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the researchers will continue to study the Milky Way's formation and evolution, with Schlaufman leading an effort to study the oldest stars in the Milky Way.

The takeaway

The discovery of SDSS J0715-7334, the most metal-poor and chemically primitive star found to date, provides a rare glimpse into the properties of the first generation of stars that formed in the early universe, which are crucial for understanding the origins of galaxies and the cosmos.