Hubble spots the giant "Buckyballs" as a Jell-O in space

The Hubble Space Telescope has recently uncovered new evidence for a particular molecule: undulating buckyballs, which have intrigued astrophysicists since their discovery in space nearly a decade ago.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Nicknamed Buckminsterfullerene," these oversized molecules are made of 60 carbon atoms interconnected by pentagons and hexagons to form a hollow sphere. The shape of these structures looks a lot like that of a football or geodesic domes designed by twentieth century architect Richard Buckminster Fuller (the inspiration of the name of the molecule). "Data-reactid =" 12 "> Nicknamed Buckminsterfullerene, these oversized molecules consist of 60 carbon atoms connected by pentagons and hexagons to form a hollow sphere.The shape of these structures is quite similar to that of a football ball or geodesic domes designed by the 20th century architect, Richard Buckminster Fuller (the inspiration of the first name molecule).

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Buckyballs were spotted for the first time in the # Space in the form of a gas in 2010, then in the form of particles in 2012. And now, Hubble has spotted the first evidence of charged buckyballs hiding in the thin plumes of gas and dust drifting between the stars, called middle interstellar, scientists have reported in a new study.[[[[Spaced! 101 astronomy images that will blow your mind]"data-reactid =" 13 "> The Buckyballs were first seen in the space as gas in 2010, then as particles in 2012. And now, Hubble has spotted the first evidence of buckyballs accused hiding in the fine feathers of gas and a dust that drifts between the stars, called interstellar medium, scientists reported in a new study. [Spaced Out! 101 Astronomy Images That Will Blow Your Mind]

<p class = "canvas-atom web-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Buckyballs – the largest molecule known in the world" space – exists On Earth, in forms created by synthesis, these molecular giants also appear naturally, as the gas emitted by candles lit and as solids in certain types of rocks, NASA Posted previously. "data-reactid =" 14 "> Buckyballs – the largest known molecules in space – exist on Earth in synthesized forms, and these molecular giants also appear naturally, in the form of gas emitted by burning candles and solid in some types of rock particles, NASA has already reported.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Buckyballs also jiggle and wiggle" like jello, " with 174 different vibration patterns, according to NASA. "data-reactid =" 15 "> Buckyballs also" shakes like jello ", with 174 different vibration modes, according to NASA.

<p class = "web-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Previous observations of space buckyballs with space telescope Spitzer identified molecules in a variety of cosmic environments and in amounts comparable to the mass of 10,000 Everests. "data-reactid =" 16 "> Earlier observations of space buckyballs with the Spitzer Space Telescope have allowed for the identification of molecules in a variety of cosmic environments and in quantities comparable to the mass of 10,000 Everests Everest. .

<figcaption class = "C ($ c-fuji-gray-h) Fz (13px) Py (5px) Lh (1.5)" title = "To form a solid particle, the" buckyballs "must stack like oranges in a crate, as shown in this illustration. NASA / JPL-Caltech"data-reactid =" 24 ">

To form a solid particle, the "buckyballs" must stack like oranges in a crate, as shown in this illustration. NASA / JPL-Caltech

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<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The new study, published online April 22 in L & # 39; astrophysicsal Newsletters, details how scientists have turned to Hubble's observations from 2016 to 1018 to learn more about buckyballs. Hubble captured light bands emitted by 11 stars; The researchers then scanned the spectrum – many of the energy wavelengths produced by the stars – as starlight passed through scattering clouds of the interstellar medium. A new scanning technique called the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) has produced a higher signal-to-noise ratio in the spectrum than Hubble's usually recorded, providing a clearer picture of molecules likely to hide in space far, have reported the authors of the study. -reactid = "29"> The new study, published online April 22 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, explains how scientists have turned to Hubble's observations from 2016 to 1018 to learn more about buckyballs. Hubble captured light bands emitted by 11 stars; The researchers then scanned the spectrum – of many wavelengths of energy produced by the stars – as starlight passed through scattering clouds of the interstellar medium. A new scanning technique called Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) produced a higher signal-to-noise ratio in the spectrum. as Hubble's recordings, providing a clearer picture of the molecules likely to hide in distant spaces, reported the authors of the study.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The researchers swept the wavelengths of light of seven stars who has appeared be red due to scattering through the interstellar medium, and four stars that did not appear red. In the spectrum of reddish stars, the signatures of light absorption suggested the presence of buckyballs in the interstellar medium traversed by starlight. "Data-reactid =" 30 "> The researchers swept the wavelengths of light from seven stars that appeared to be red due to scattering across the interstellar medium and four stars not appearing in red In the spectrum of reddish stars, the light absorption signatures suggested the presence of buckyballs in the interstellar medium traversed by starlight.

Scientists have described their results as "conclusive confirmation" of buckyballs in the space between the stars, according to the study.

<p class = "canvas-atom web-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Their discovery demonstrates that the regions of space where the ultraviolet radiation is high and the matter is very dispersed – like the interstellar medium – can bear a lot carbon molecules The researchers reported that "data-reactid =" 32 "> their discovery demonstrates that the regions of the space where ultraviolet radiation is high and the finely distributed material – like the interstellar medium – can support much larger carbon molecules than previously thought, the researchers reported.

Future observations of buckyballs, combined with theoretical and laboratory studies, will reveal how these unusual molecules interact with stars and other objects in space, and could reveal that these molecules could serve as "probes". Interstellar physics and chemistry, "the scientists wrote.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Originally published on Science live."data-reactid =" 38 ">Originally published on Science live.