Mystery Of Extreme Helium Stars Solved

• 21 Jul 2020

• A study by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) detected the presence of singly ionised fluorine for the first time in the atmospheres of hot Extreme Helium Stars(EHe).
• The origin and evolution of these Hydrogen deficient objects have been shrouded in mystery. Their severe chemical peculiarities challenge the theory of well-accepted stellar evolution as the observed chemical composition of these stars do not match with that predicted for low mass evolved stars.
• Detection of fluorine in hot extreme Helium Stars solves their evolution mystery.
• An extreme helium star or EHe is a low-mass supergiant that is almost devoid of hydrogen, the most common chemical element of the universe.There are 21 of them detected so far in our galaxy.