Astronomers find record-breaking star that's nearly as old as The Universe

Another ancient star has been found lurking in the Milky Way.

Around 35,000 light-years away, a red giant star named SMSS J160540.18–144323.1 was found to have the lowest iron levels of any star yet analysed in the galaxy.

This means that it's one of the oldest stars in the Universe, probably belonging to the second generation of stars after the Universe burst into existence 13.8 billion years ago, according to Science Alert.

"This incredibly anaemic star, which likely formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, has iron levels 1.5 million times lower than that of the Sun," explained astronomer Thomas Nordlander of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions and the Australian National University.

"That's like one drop of water in an Olympic swimming pool."

Stars are 'powered' by nuclear fusion, where the atomic nuclei of lighter elements are combined to create heavier ones. In smaller stars, that's mainly the fusion of hydrogen into helium. But in larger stars - such as the Population III stars are thought to have been - elements up to and including silicon and iron can be forged.