C24H11CN
Common Name: Cyanocoronene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: Seven fused rings and 25 carbon atoms; identified through its rotational spectrum in cold TMC-1.
This gallery highlights selected first interstellar detections by group members and collaborators. Each entry links to the paper describing the evidence. Together, these molecules trace our work from carbon chains and oxygen-bearing organics to individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A tentative identification is labeled explicitly and should not be read as a confirmed detection.
Following Molecules into New Environments
The first detection of a molecule is the beginning of its chemical story. We now compare aromatic populations across sources, including the 2026 detection of phenalene in MC27/L1521F, a cloud containing a very low-luminosity protostar. This was the first detection of a three-ring PAH outside TMC-1, rather than the first interstellar detection of phenalene itself. Our observational research page describes how these comparisons test the formation and survival of aromatic carbon.
HOCH2CH2CHO
Common Name: 3-hydroxypropanal (tentative) Year Discovered: 2025 Source: G+0.693-0.027 Telescope: Yebes 40m Telescope and IRAM 30m Telescope Fun Fact: Tentative identification of 3-hydroxypropanal toward G+0.693-0.027; confirmation requires further observational evidence.
4-C16H9CN
Common Name: 4-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: One of three detected cyanopyrene isomers. Their relative abundances help test the chemistry linking CN radicals and pyrene.
2-C16H9CN
Common Name: 2-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2025 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: The cyano group makes this pyrene derivative accessible to radio spectroscopy; the abundance of parent pyrene must be inferred chemically.
1-C16H9CN
Common Name: 1-cyanopyrene Year Discovered: 2024 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: The first four-ring PAH identified in space. The detected molecule is 1-cyanopyrene, a cyano-substituted derivative of pyrene.
CH3OCH2CH2OH
Common Name: 2-methoxyethanol Year Discovered: 2024 Source: NGC 6334I Telescope: ALMA Fun Fact: A 13-atom oxygen-bearing organic molecule; laboratory spectroscopy enabled its identification with ALMA in NGC 6334I.
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: One of the first two individual interstellar PAHs identified by radio spectroscopy, alongside 2-cyanonaphthalene.
2-C10H7CN
Common Name: 2-cyanonaphthalene Year Discovered: 2021 Source: TMC-1 Telescope: GBT Fun Fact: One of the first two individual interstellar PAHs identified by radio spectroscopy, alongside 1-cyanonaphthalene.
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: Isocyanodiacetylene 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