Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have detected a particular type of molecule, given the nickname “buckyball”, in a solid form for the first time.

A buckyball is comprised of 60 carbon atoms (it therefore also goes by the nickname of C60), which are arranged into a hollow sphere. The similarity of the shape to the architect Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes earned the molecule the name buckminsterfullerene, or buckyball for short.

Buckyballs exist on Earth such as in the gas escaping from a burning candle, and due to their unusual structure they also serve useful purposes in medicine and water purification. Buckyballs were predicted to exist in the cosmos in 1992, and the first discovery of C60 outside the Earth was made in 2010 by Spitzer. This C60 was in a gaseous form, and it has since been detected in various different environments.

However solid buckyballs in space have eluded astronomers until their discovery around the binary star XX Ophiuchi. The binary contains a cool red giant along with a hotter star. The exact spectral type of this hot star was a source of debate for quite some time as it was thought that “reddening” made the star look dimmer than it actually was. Reddening occurs when light is scattered by interstellar dust particles. If the hot star was reddened, then it meant that it was probably a main sequence star.

Further observations suggested that the reddening was overestimated and that the star was actually dim enough to be a subdwarf (below the main sequence) that was encapsulated within a dusty shell. “I thought this might be due to small silicate particles so I set about looking for evidence of silicates in infrared observations,” explains Nye Evans of Keele University, lead author of the discovery paper that appears in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. “What I found however was not silicates but hydrocarbons – a complete surprise as hydrocarbons need a carbon-rich environment to form. A crude calculation suggested hydrocarbons containing a few tens of carbon atoms, interestingly close to the 60 needed for C60.”

XX Ophiuchi was then probed further with Spitzer. “We got two observations, only one showing clear evidence for C60,” Evans tells Astronomy Now. “The spectral signature is a little different from that of C60 in the gas phase, but is close to that of solid C60.”

The discovery of solid buckyballs in space implies that they are quite common in circumstellar environments, as a certain amount of molecules are needed to stack together to become solid particles. These results also suggest that more C60 may be waiting to be discovered around other hot stars.

This special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Hubble Reborn
Hubble Reborn takes the reader on a journey through the Universe with spectacular full-colour pictures of galaxies, nebulae, planets and stars as seen through Hubble's eyes, along the way telling the dramatic story of the space telescope, including interviews with key scientists and astronauts.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

The Planets
From tiny Mercury to distant Neptune and Pluto, The Planets profiles each of the Solar System's members in depth, featuring the latest imagery from space missions. The tallest mountains, the deepest canyons, the strongest winds, raging atmospheric storms, terrain studded with craters and vast worlds of ice are just some of the sights you'll see on this 100-page tour of the planets.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

3D Universe
Witness the most awesome sights of the Universe as they were meant to be seen in this 100-page extravaganza of planets, galaxies and star-scapes, all in 3D!
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
 U.K. STORE
 E.U. STORE
 U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE