2 replies to this topic

[PaulH]

I'm currently researching some facts for a new essay I'm working on, and I need to know when the first Second-Generation Stars emerged in the universe. From what I can tell the first generation of stars started forming aproximatly 160 million years after the Big Bang. Approximately how many years after the big bang were second-generation stars born? We know that first generation stars had no heavy elements, but through nucleosynthesis created these heavier elements necessary for planetary formation. When the first-generation of stars exploded in supernova these stars material, including all the heavy metals, formed the necessary precurssor of a stellar nursury birthing second-generation stars capable of having planets.

I'm trying to figure out what the earliest possible time planets could have emerged. The answer lies in knowing what the lifespans of a typical Blue Giant is which has the shortest lifetimes, the most spectacular explosions and the most heavy elemet material remains.

Edited by planetp, 25 March 2004 - 01:35 AM.

[chubtoad]

The oldest detected planet formed 12.7 billion years ago. The universe is 13.7 billion years old so about 1 billion years after the big bang. Some theories suggest that planets may have emerged a couple hundred million years before that, but not more than that.
http://www.nytimes.c...c7c1289&ei=5070

[PaulH]

Perfect! Thanks for the link.