Tag: spectroscopy
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Identification of Solid N2O in Interstellar Ices Using Open JWST Data
Overview: The Quest for Solid N2O in Space Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the six known molecules containing an N–O bond observed in the gas phase of the interstellar medium. The search for N2O in solid form—embedded in interstellar ices—has a long history, dating back to early infrared missions like the Infrared Space Observatory.…
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Solid N2O in Interstellar Ices Detected with JWST Data
Overview Interstellar ices are chemical laboratories frozen onto dust grains in cold regions of the cosmos. Among the handful of molecules known to contain a nitrogen-oxygen (N–O) bond in the gaseous phase, nitrous oxide (N2O) has been a target of search for decades. Although early missions like the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) laid the groundwork,…
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Identification Of Solid N2O In Interstellar Ices Using Open JWST Data
Introduction: Why N2O Matters in Interstellar Ices Nitrous oxide, or N2O, is one of the few molecules that contain an N–O bond detected in the gaseous phase of the interstellar medium. However, solid-phase detections of N2O in icy mantles on dust grains have remained elusive since observations began with the Infrared Space Observatory and subsequent…
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Mysterious Iron Bar in Ring Nebula Stuns astronomers
What Was Found A team of European astronomers, led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and Cardiff University, has identified a mysterious bar-shaped cloud of iron atoms nestled inside the Ring Nebula. This structure, described for the first time in a major astronomy journal, challenges conventional ideas about how elemental material behaves in planetary…
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Astronomers Discover a Starless Gas Cloud: Cloud 9 Shines in the Cosmic Void
Introduction: A Starless Cloud in a Vast Cosmos In the sprawling tapestry of the universe, a new entrant has captured the attention of astronomers: a starless gas cloud nicknamed “Cloud 9.” This intriguing object challenges some long-held ideas about how stars form and how gas behaves in interstellar space. By studying Cloud 9, researchers hope…
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Hydrogen Tests Push Basic Physics Forward After Theory Update
Hydrogen: A Benchmark for Fundamental Physics Hydrogen, the simplest stable molecule composed of two protons and two electrons, has long served as a proving ground for quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics (QED). Recent theoretical updates have renewed interest in how precisely we can predict hydrogen’s behavior from first principles. As experimental techniques grow more exact,…
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Hydrogen Tests Revisit Basic Physics After Theory Update
Introduction: Hydrogen at the Center of Fundamental Physics The hydrogen molecule, H2, remains the simplest stable molecule in nature. With two protons and two electrons, it has long served as a testing ground for quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and the interactions that bind matter at the smallest scales. In recent years, a theory update—driven by advances…
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Hydrogen Tests Physics More Precisely After Theory Update
Hydrogen’s role as a physics proving ground The hydrogen molecule H2, the simplest stable molecule, has long served as a benchmark for fundamental physics. With only two protons and two electrons, its behavior can be described by first principles, making it an ideal test bed for quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics (QED). In recent years,…
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SPHEREx Completes Its First Sky Map: A New Cosmic Window
Introduction: A Milestone in Space Observation NASA’s SPHEREx telescope has achieved a landmark feat by completing its first map of the entire sky. Launched in March with a mission to survey the cosmos in near-infrared light, SPHEREx is providing a fresh, all-sky dataset that promises to enhance our understanding of the universe—from the origins of…
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Comet 3I/ATLAS Turns Green as It Nears Earth, Revealing Its Interstellar Origins
Introduction: An Interstellar Visitor Brightens Comet 3I/ATLAS, one of the most notable interstellar visitors in recent memory, has begun to brighten as it approaches Earth. Observers around the globe are reporting a faint but distinct greenish hue in its coma, a color change that scientists are now attributing to the vaporization of ice and dust…