Dimethyl Ether Detected in Protoplanetary Disk for First Time

Astronomers utilizing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have detected dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), nitric oxide (NO) and methyl formate (CH3OCHO) in a planet-forming disk across the younger star IRS 48. With 9 atoms, dimethyl ether is the biggest molecule recognized in such a disk thus far. IRS 48 is an A0-type star positioned roughly 445 […]