Submitted by PHealthy t3_124xb33 in askscience
Gutsy_Bottle t1_je2wt7t wrote
Reply to comment by adamginsburg in Is NaCl relatively common in the galaxy/universe? by PHealthy
You mean to tell me y’all can see molecules in space?
adamginsburg t1_je2x7n8 wrote
Yep. There are lists of the molecules we've detected: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_interstellar_and_circumstellar_molecules, https://www.astrochymist.org/, https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.13848 (last is a regularly updated, curated, peer reviewed list maintained by Brett McGuire)
platoprime t1_je3oiud wrote
It is absolutely insane the amount of information that can be extracted from the "color" of incoming light. They're talking about trying to see the light from a distant star but not just any light. Specifically they are looking for light from that distant star when it passes through the atmosphere of a planet orbiting that star. The difference between that light and the light of the star can tell you about the chemical composition of the planet's atmosphere.
Hoihe t1_je49fpt wrote
Look up Dr. György Tarczay or Astrochemistry in general!
There is a whole field of science about studying molecules in space and proving they exist by replicating astronomic conditions in a lab.
I got to tour Dr. Tarczay's lab and it was super impressice. Look up Tarczay VIZSLA for an article about his latest piece of equipment.
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