Astronomers identify first green star in the Milky Way

Astronomers have identified the first documented case of a star that would appear green to the human eye. The star, a white dwarf named WD J1330+6435 located in the Draco constellation, is situated hundreds of light-years from Earth within the Milky Way.

Led by astrophysicist Mark Hollands from the University of Warwick, the research was published in the journal RAS Techniques and Instruments. The team analyzed the light spectra of 151 white dwarfs to model how they would appear visually. They discovered that the atmosphere of WD J1330+6435 contains calcium, lithium, and sodium.

The green hue is caused by the high density of the star's atmosphere, which causes sodium to absorb light in the yellow, orange, and red bands. This absorption leaves behind a “ghostly green glow.” Researchers believe the star incorporated these elements after the gravitational destruction of orbiting planets, asteroids, or comets.