ScienceAugust 20, 2026

stardust

STAR-dust

Definition

Microscopic particles of solid matter that originated in stars and exist in interstellar space, often preserved within meteorites.

Etymology

The word is a combination of the Old English 'steorra' (star) and 'dust' (fine particles). It was first used in the 16th century to describe the appearance of distant starlight or, metaphorically, as the elemental origin of living things.

In the news

In this article, researchers analyze meteorites specifically to locate 'stardust,' or presolar grains, which provide chemical clues about the stars that existed before our solar system.

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