ESOcast 210 Light - First identification of a heavy element born from neutron star collision

Newly created strontium, an element used in fireworks, has been detected in space for the first time following observations with ESO’s Very Large Telescope. The detection confirms that the heavier elements in the Universe can form in neutron star mergers, providing a missing piece of the puzzle of chemical element formation.

https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1917/

Credit/Courtesy: ESO