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Scientists found unexpected molecule in atmosphere of Saturn’s largest moon

Scientists found unexpected molecule in atmosphere of Saturn’s largest moon

Saturn

Scientists have found a really unexpected Molecule in Titan’s atmosphere that has never been detected in any other atmosphere.

The particle is called cyclopropenylidene, or C3H2, and it's made of carbon and hydrogen.

“When I realized I was looking at cyclopropenylidene, my first thought was, ‘Well, this is really unexpected,’” said Conor Nixon, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who led the ALMA search. His team’s findings were published on October 15 in the Astronomical Journal.

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It's so rare that it has never before been detected in an atmosphere, in the Solar System or elsewhere. The only other place it can remain stable is the cold void of interstellar space.

The largest of Saturn’s 62 moons, Titan is an intriguing world that’s in some ways the most similar one to Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)