C24H11CN
Common Name: Cyanocoronene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: Largest interstellar molecule detected using radio astronomy.
Below is a rogue's gallery of the molecules discovered for the first time in the interstellar medium by the McGuire group and its members.
HOCH2CH2CHO
Common Name: 3-hydroxypropanal Year Discovered: 2025 Source: G+0.693-0.027 Telescope: Yebes 40m Telescope and IRAM 30m Telescope Fun Fact: Tentative detection. 3-hydroxypropanal is one of six C3H6O2 isomers detected toward G+0.693-0.027
4-C16H9CN
Common Name: 4-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: It is estimated that pyrene contains up to 0.1% of the carbon in TMC-1.
2-C16H9CN
Common Name: 2-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: It is estimated that pyrene contains up to 0.1% of the carbon in TMC-1.
1-C16H9CN
Common Name: 1-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2024 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: It is estimated that pyrene contains up to 0.1% of the carbon in TMC-1.
CH3OCH2CH2OH
Common Name: 2-methoxyethanol Year Discovered: 2024 Source: NGC 6334I Telescope: ALMA Fun Fact: Largest oxygen-containing molecule detected outside of our Solar System.
C9H8
Common Name: indene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First pure hydrocarbon polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon discovered in space
1-C10H7CN
Common Name: 1-cyanonaphthalene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon discovered in space (alongside 2-cyanonapthalane)
2-C10H7CN
Common Name: 2-cyanonaphthalene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon discovered in space (alongside 1-cyanonapthalane)
H2CCCHC3N
Common Name: cyanoacetyleneallene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
H2CCHC3N
Common Name: vinylcyanoacetylene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
HCCCHCHCN
Common Name: cyanovinylacetylene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
2-C5H5CN
Common Name: 2-cyano-cyclopentadiene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
1-C5H5CN
Common Name: 1-cyano-cyclopentadiene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First molecule containing a five-membered ring detected in space
HC11N
Common Name: Cyanopentaacetylene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
HC4NC
Common Name: Isocyanoacetylene Year Discovered: 2020 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
HCCCH2CN
Common Name: Propargyl cyanide Year Discovered: 2020 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
C6H5CN
Common Name: Benzonitrile Year Discovered: 2018 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First molecule containing a benzene ring seen by radio astronomy
CH3OCH2OH
Common Name: Methoxymethanol Year Discovered: 2017 Source: NGC6334I Telescope: ALMA Fun Fact: Several orders of magnitude more abundant than predicted by models
HC7O
Common Name: Hexadiynylformyl radical Year Discovered: 2017 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: Confirmed in Cordiner et al. 2017
HC5O
Common Name: Butadiynylformyl radical Year Discovered: 2017 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT
CH3CHCH2O
Common Name: Propylene oxide Year Discovered: 2016 Source: Sgr B2(N) Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: First chiral molecule discovered outside the solar system
HNCNH
Common Name: Carbodiimide Year Discovered: 2012 Source: Sgr B2(N) Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: Discovered by maser transitions