Submitter JoshuaZ first time accepted, writes Astronomers have discovered an unusual small star. SDSS J102915 172927 is a small, faint star with very few elements other than hydrogen or helium.

The composition of the star is surprising ( pdf) from the standard theories of star formation requires heavier elements in smaller stars, to allow stars to be heavy enough to meet. Perhaps the most unusual of the star is non – complete detection of lithium would be expected in a star of this size.

The only items created shortly after the Big Bang were lithium, hydrogen and helium and the star must have lithium levels much higher because they must closely match with the levels that would have been formed shortly after the Big Bang.