Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Say hello to the Methuselah Star – the cosmic pensioner that briefly appeared to be older than the Universe itself.
Early estimates put its age at around 16 billion years. Bit awkward, seeing as the Universe is a mere 13.8 billion. Better measurements eventually brought that estimate down, with later studies putting it at a sprightly 12–14 billion years old.
Here's the mad part though - grab yourself a half decent pair of binoculars and you might actually be able to spot it for yourself. It's about 200 light-years away, sitting in the constellation Libra.
Despite its impressive age, the Methuselah has only just got gotten going. If it were a human with an average lifespan of 80 years, it'd be roughly a month old.
So, basically, a cosmic baby with a very impressive pension.
Say hello to the Methuselah Star – the cosmic pensioner that briefly appeared to be older than the Universe itself.
Early estimates put its age at around 16 billion years. Bit awkward, seeing as the Universe is a mere 13.8 billion. Better measurements eventually brought that estimate down, with later studies putting it at a sprightly 12–14 billion years old.
Here's the mad part though - grab yourself a half decent pair of binoculars and you might actually be able to spot it for yourself. It's about 200 light-years away, sitting in the constellation Libra.
Despite its impressive age, the Methuselah has only just got gotten going. If it were a human with an average lifespan of 80 years, it'd be roughly a month old.
So, basically, a cosmic baby with a very impressive pension.
