Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope found dust and water near the black hole at our galaxy's centre. The star, called IRS 3, sits just over half a light-year from the black hole. It is an old, dying star that is losing gas and dust into space. Astronomers thought this area was too extreme for such material to form or survive.
New data show that IRS 3 produces oxygen-rich dust, similar to sand on Earth. For the first time, researchers also detected water near the star. This means that even close to a black hole, a star can still create material for new stars and planets. The lead scientist said this shows how strong and resilient stars can be, even in extreme space environments.