Astronomers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have discovered a star speeding out of our galaxy at over 2.4 million kph (1.5 million mph). It's probably moving this quickly because of a close encounter with the supermassive black hole that lurks at the heart of our Milky Way. The star came too close, was captured by the black hole's gravity, and then hurled onto an exit trajectory. The star contains many heavier elements than hydrogen and helium, so astronomers believe it began life in one of the stellar nurseries near the galactic centre.