Hyper-velocity stars ( HVSs ) were first predicted by theory to be the result of the tidal disruption of a binary system by a super-massive black hole ( SMBH ) that accelerates one component to beyond the Galactic escape velocity ( the Hills mechanism ) .
Because the Galactic centre hosts such a SMBH it is the suggested place of origin for HVSs .
However , the SMBH paradigm has been challenged recently by the young HVS HD 271791 because its kinematics point to a birthplace in the metal-poor rim of the Galactic disc .
Here we report the atmosphere of HD 271791 to indeed show a sub-solar iron abundance along with an enhancement of the \alpha -elements , indicating capture of nucleosynthesis products from a supernova or a more energetic hypernova .
This implies that HD 271791 is the surviving secondary of a massive binary system disrupted in a supernova explosion .
No such run-away star has ever been found to exceed the Galactic escape velocity , hence HD 271791 is the first hyper-runaway star .
Such a run-away scenario is an alternative to the Hills mechanism for the acceleration of some HVSs with moderate velocities .
The observed chemical composition of HD 271791 puts invaluable observational constraints on nucleosynthesis in a supernova from the core-collapse of a very massive star ( M _ { ZAMS } \gtrsim 55 M _ { \odot } ) , which may be observed as a gamma-ray burst of the long-duration/soft-spectrum type .