SDSS J0715−7334 is located in the Milky Way galaxy. The researchers believe it may have formed from material enriched by just one so-called "Population III" star, one of the first stars in the universe that has never been directly observed.
According to astrophysical models, Population III stars formed shortly after the Big Bang and consisted exclusively of primordial hydrogen and helium. They were extremely massive, hot and short-lived. Because they contained no heavy elements (heavier than helium), they are often called metal-free.
It is assumed that all these stars have completed their life cycle long ago, but their chemical "fingerprint" may remain in the stars of the next generation.
During the analysis of the chemical composition of the star J0715−7334, scientists found a record low metallicity of less than 7.8 × 10⁻⁷. This value is almost half that of the previous record-holder J1029+1729. The scientists emphasized that the carbon content of J0715−7334 is also extremely low, unlike other similar bodies.
J0715−7334 is the "cleanest" of all known stars. it contains almost no heavy elements. It probably originated from the material-enriched gas of just one first-generation star, a 30-solar-mass massive supernova,” the paper notes.
