HE 1523-0901

HE 1523-0901 is the designation given to a red giant star in the Milky Way galaxy approximately 7500 light years from Earth.  It is thought to be a second generation, Population II, or metal-poor, star ([Fe/H] = −2.95).  The star was found in the sample of bright metal-poor halo stars from the Hamburg/ESO Survey by Anna Frebel and collaborators.  The group's research was published in the May 10, 2007 issue of The Astrophysical Journal. 

Age
The star's age, as measured by ESO's Very Large Telescope, is 13.2 billion years.  This makes it among the oldest stars and nearly as old as the estimated age of the universe itself (13.8 billion years as measured by Planck).  The measurement uncertainty in the age estimate is 0.7 to 2.7 billion years, depending upon the assumptions made to estimate the uncertainty, although the uncertainty in the relative age of this and other stars using the same method is smaller.  HE 1523-0901 is the first star whose age was determined using the decay of the radioactive elements uranium and thorium in tandem with measurements of several neutron capture elements.  It is believed to have formed directly from the remnants of the first-generation stars that reached the end of their longevity and exploded as supernovae early in the history of known matter. 

Designation 
The designation "HE 1523-0901" indicates that the star is part of the Hamburg/ESO Survey catalog.  A list of astronomical catalogues can be used to find which catalog a star or other object is from based on its prefix.  Most objects are listed in several catalogs and will often be known by several different designations. 

Observation
HE 1523-0901 is approximately 0.8 Solar masses.  It can be viewed particularly well from the southern hemisphere with the use of a small telescope.  It can also be observed from central European latitudes. 

References

External links
ESO press release
McDonald Observatory / UT press release
Hamburg/ESO Survey Homepage
Astronomy magazine
CCD image based on 2-hrs total exposure

Category:Libra (constellation)
Category:M-type giants
Category:Population II stars