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Molecular Gas Clouds

Giant Molecular Clouds

These are the giant molecular clouds (GMCs) found in our galaxy and are comprised of gas and dust. They are the stellar nurseries where stars and planetary systems are formed. They are enormous in size. For reference, the full moon is 30' (arc minutes) or 0.5° in size.



      1. Cloud (Size)
      2. Constellation
      1. Aquila-Serpens Rift   (20° x 10°)
      2. Aquila
      1. Chamaeleon-Musca Cloud   (12° x 14°)
      2. Chamaeleon
      1. Circinus Molecular Cloud   (22° x 14°)
      2. Circinus
      1. Orion Molecular Cloud   (4° x 8°)
      2. Orion
      1. Perseus Molecular Cloud   (6° x 2°)
      2. Perseus
      1. Rho Ophiuchi Cloud   (4.5° x 6.5°)
      2. Ophiuchi
      1. Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud   (26' x 19')
      2. Sagittarius
      1. Taurus Molecular Cloud   (20° x 30°)
      2. Taurus
      1. Vela Molecular Ridge   (8° x 8°)
      2. Vela


    Molecule List

    List of all the (mostly organic) molecules that have been detected in interstellar gas clouds. The molecules form on the tiny insterstellar dust grains.

        1. Name (# Atoms)
        2. Molecular Formula
        1. Acetaldehyde   (7 atoms)
        2. CH3CHO
        1. Acetamide   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3CONH2
        1. Acetic acid   (8 atoms)
        2. CH3COOH
        1. Acetone   (10 atoms)
        2. C3H6O
        1. Acetonitrile   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3CN
        1. Acetylene   (4 atoms)
        2. C2H2
        1. Acrylonitrile   (7 atoms)
        2. CH2CHCN
        1. Aluminium hydroxide   (3 atoms)
        2. AlOH
        1. Aluminium isocyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. AlNC
        1. Aluminium monochloride   (2 atoms)
        2. AlCl
        1. Aluminium monofluoride   (2 atoms)
        2. AlF
        1. Aluminium monoxide   (2 atoms)
        2. AlO
        1. Amino acetonitrile    (8 atoms)
        2. NH2CH2CN
        1. Amino radical    (3 atoms)
        2. NH2
        1. Aminoacetonitrile   (8 atoms)
        2. NH2CH2CN
        1. Ammonia   (4 atoms)
        2. NH3
        1. Ammonium ion   (5 atoms)
        2. NH3D+
        1. Argonium   (2 atoms)
        2. ArH+
        1. Benzene   (12 atoms)
        2. C6H6
        1. Benzonitrile   (13 atoms)
        2. C6H5CN
        1. Buckminster fullerene   (60 atoms)
        2. C60
        1. Butadiyne   (6 atoms)
        2. HC4H
        1. Butadiynyl   (5 atoms)
        2. C4H
        1. Butatrienylidene   (6 atoms)
        2. H2C4
        1. c-Silicon dicarbide   (3 atoms)
        2. c-SiC2
        1. C70 fullerene   (70 atoms)
        2. C70/sub>
        1. Calcium isocyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. CaNC
        1. Carbene   (6 atoms)
        2. HC4N
        1. Carbodiimide   (5 atoms)
        2. HNCNH
        1. Carbon dioxide   (3 atoms)
        2. CO2
        1. Carbon monophosphide   (2 atoms)
        2. CP
        1. Carbon monosulfide   (2 atoms)
        2. CS
        1. Carbon monoxide    (2 atoms)
        2. CO
        1. Carbonyl sulfide   (3 atoms)
        2. OCS
        1. Carborundum    (2 atoms)
        2. SiC
        1. Ccarbon-chain radical    (7 atoms)
        2. HC5O
        1. Chloronium    (3 atoms)
        2. CIH2+
        1. Cyanamide   (5 atoms)
        2. NH2CN
        1. Cyanic acid   (4 atoms)
        2. HOCN
        1. Cyanoacetylene   (5 atoms)
        2. HC3N
        1. Cyanoallene   (8 atoms)
        2. CH2CCHCN
        1. Cyanobutadiynyl   (6 atoms)
        2. C5N
        1. Cyanocarbene   (4 atoms)
        2. HCCN
        1. Cyanodiacetylene   (7 atoms)
        2. C5HN
        1. Cyanoethynyl   (4 atoms)
        2. C3N
        1. Cyanoformaldehyde   (5 atoms)
        2. HC(O)CN
        1. Cyanogen radical   (2 atoms)
        2. CN
        1. Cyanohexatriyne   (9 atoms)
        2. HC7N
        1. Cyanomethyl   (5 atoms)
        2. H2CCN
        1. Cyanomethylidyne   (3 atoms)
        2. CCN
        1. Cyanopentaacetylene   (13 atoms)
        2. HC10CN
        1. Cyanopolyynes   (5-9 atoms)
        2. HcnN
        1. Cyanopropynylidene   (6 atoms)
        2. HC4N
        1. Cyanotetraacetylene   (11 atoms)
        2. HC9N
        1. Cyanotriacetylene   (9 atoms)
        2. HC7N
        1. Cyclopropenone   (6 atoms)
        2. C3H2O
        1. Cyclopropenylidene   (5 atoms)
        2. C3H2
        1. Cyclopropynylidyne   (4 atoms)
        2. c-C3H
        1. Diacetylene   (6 atoms)
        2. l-H2C4
        1. Diatomic carbon    (2 atoms)
        2. C2
        1. Diazenylium   (3 atoms)
        2. N2H+
        1. Dicarbon monoxide   (3 atoms)
        2. C2O
        1. Dimethyl Ether   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3OCH3
        1. Disilicon carbide   (3 atoms)
        2. SiCSi
        1. E-Cyanomethanimine   (6 atoms)
        2. E-HNCHCN
        1. Ethanimine    (8 atoms)
        2. CH3CHNH
        1. Ethanol   (9 atoms)
        2. C2H5OH
        1. Ethene   (6 atoms)
        2. C2H4
        1. Ethyl formate   (11 atoms)
        2. C3H6O2
        1. Ethyl mercaptan   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3CH2SH
        1. Ethylene   (6 atoms)
        2. C2H4
        1. Ethylene glycol   (10 atoms)
        2. (CH2OH)2
        1. Ethylene oxide   (7 atoms)
        2. c-C2H4O
        1. Ethynyl radical   (3 atoms)
        2. C2H
        1. Fluoromethylidynium    (2 atoms)
        2. CF+
        1. Formaldehyde   (4 atoms)
        2. CH2O
        1. Formamide   (6 atoms)
        2. HCONH2
        1. Formic acid   (5 atoms)
        2. HCOOH
        1. Formyl radical   (3 atoms)
        2. HCO
        1. Fulminic acid   (4 atoms)
        2. HCNO
        1. Glycine   (10 atoms)
        2. H2NCH2COOH
        1. Glycolaldehyde   (8 atoms)
        2. C2H4O2
        1. Glycolonitrile   (7 atoms)
        2. HOCH2CN
        1. Heavy water   (3 atoms)
        2. HDO,?D2O
        1. Helium hydride   (2 atoms)
        2. HeH+
        1. Heptatrienyl radical   (8 atoms)
        2. C7H
        1. Hexapentaenylidene   (8 atoms)
        2. H2C6
        1. Hexatriynyl ion   (7 atoms)
        2. C6H?
        1. Hexatriynyl radical    (7 atoms)
        2. C6H
        1. Hydrogen chloride    (2 atoms)
        2. HCl
        1. Hydrogen cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. HCN
        1. Hydrogen deuteride   (2 atoms)
        2. HD
        1. Hydrogen fluoride   (2 atoms)
        2. HF
        1. Hydrogen isocyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. HNC
        1. Hydrogen peroxide   (4 atoms)
        2. H2O2
        1. Hydrogen sulfide   (3 atoms)
        2. H2S
        1. Hydromagnesium isocyanide   (4 atoms)
        2. HMgNC
        1. Hydronium    (4 atoms)
        2. H?O?
        1. Hydroperoxyl   (3 atoms)
        2. HO2
        1. Hydroxyl radical    (2 atoms)
        2. HO
        1. Iron cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. FeCN
        1. Iron oxide    (2 atoms)
        2. FeO
        1. iso-Propyl cyanide   (12 atoms)
        2. (CH3)2CHCN
        1. Isocyanic acid   (4 atoms)
        2. HNCO
        1. Isocyanoacetylene    (5 atoms)
        2. HCC-NC
        1. Isocyanogen   (4 atoms)
        2. CNCN
        1. Isoformyl    (3 atoms)
        2. HOC+
        1. Isothiocyanic acid   (4 atoms)
        2. HNCS
        1. Isothioformyl   (3 atoms)
        2. HSC
        1. Ketene   (5 atoms)
        2. H2C2O
        1. Ketenimine   (6 atoms)
        2. CH2CNH
        1. Ketenyl   (4 atoms)
        2. HCCO
        1. Linear C5   (5 atoms)
        2. C5
        1. Magnesium cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. MgCN
        1. Magnesium isocyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. MgNC
        1. Magnesium monohydride cation    (2 atoms)
        2. MgH+
        1. Methane   (5 atoms)
        2. CH4
        1. Methanethiol   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3SH
        1. Methanol   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3OH
        1. Methoxy radical   (5 atoms)
        2. CH3O
        1. Methoxymethanol   (10 atoms)
        2. CH3OCH2OH
        1. Methyl acetate   (11 atoms)
        2. CH3COOCH3
        1. Methyl ether   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3OCH3
        1. Methyl formate   (8 atoms)
        2. HCOOCH3
        1. Methyl isocyanate   (7 atoms)
        2. CH3NCO
        1. Methyl isocyanide   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3NC
        1. Methyl mercaptan   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3SH
        1. Methyl radical   (4 atoms)
        2. CH3
        1. Methylamine   (7 atoms)
        2. H3CNH2
        1. Methylcyanoacetylene   (8 atoms)
        2. CH3C3N
        1. Methylcyanodiacetylene   (10 atoms)
        2. CH3C5N
        1. Methyldiacetylene   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3C4H
        1. Methylene amidogen   (4 atoms)
        2. H2CN
        1. Methylene radical    (3 atoms)
        2. H2C
        1. Methylenimine    (5 atoms)
        2. H2CNH
        1. Methylidyne radical    (2 atoms)
        2. CH
        1. Methylisocyanide   (6 atoms)
        2. CH3NC
        1. Methyltriacetylene   (11 atoms)
        2. CH3C6H
        1. Molecular hydrogen    (2 atoms)
        2. H2
        1. Molecular nitrogen    (2 atoms)
        2. N2
        1. Molecular oxygen   (2 atoms)
        2. O2
        1. n-Propyl cyanide   (12 atoms)
        2. C3H7CN
        1. Neonium   (2 atoms)
        2. NeH+
        1. Nitric oxide   (2 atoms)
        2. NO
        1. Nitrogen monohydride   (2 atoms)
        2. NH
        1. Nitrogen sulfide    (2 atoms)
        2. NS
        1. Nitrous acid    (4 atoms)
        2. HNO2
        1. Nitrous oxide   (3 atoms)
        2. N2O
        1. Nitroxyl   (3 atoms)
        2. HNO
        1. Octatetraynyl radical   (9 atoms)
        2. C8H
        1. Ozone   (3 atoms)
        2. O3
        1. Pentynylidyne   (6 atoms)
        2. C5H
        1. Phosphaethyne   (3 atoms)
        2. HCP
        1. Phosphorus mononitride   (2 atoms)
        2. PN
        1. Phosphorus monoxide   (2 atoms)
        2. PO
        1. Potassium chloride   (2 atoms)
        2. KCl
        1. Potassium cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. KCN
        1. Propadienylidene   (5 atoms)
        2. l-H2C3
        1. Propanal   (10 atoms)
        2. C2H5CHO
        1. Propenal   (8 atoms)
        2. C2H3CHO
        1. Propionitrile   (9 atoms)
        2. C2H5CN
        1. propyl cyanide    (12 atoms)
        2. C3H7CN
        1. Propylene   (9 atoms)
        2. CH3CHCH2
        1. Propylene oxide   (10 atoms)
        2. CH3CHCH2O
        1. Propynal   (6 atoms)
        2. HC2CHO
        1. Propyne   (7 atoms)
        2. C3H4
        1. Propynylidyne   (4 atoms)
        2. l-C3H
        1. Protonated carbon dioxide    (4 atoms)
        2. HOCO+
        1. Protonated cyanoacetylene    (6 atoms)
        2. HCCCNH+
        1. Protonated cyanogen    (5 atoms)
        2. HNCCN+
        1. Protonated formaldehyde    (5 atoms)
        2. (H2CO)2H+
        1. Protonated hydrogen cyanide    (4 atoms)
        2. HCNH+
        1. Silane   (5 atoms)
        2. SiH4
        1. Silicin cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. SiNC
        1. Silicon carbonitride   (3 atoms)
        2. SiCN
        1. Silicon mononitride   (2 atoms)
        2. SiN
        1. Silicon monosulfide   (2 atoms)
        2. SiS
        1. Silicon monoxide    (2 atoms)
        2. SiO
        1. Silicon tricarbide   (4 atoms)
        2. SiC3
        1. Silicon-carbide cluster   (5 atoms)
        2. SiC4
        1. Sodium chloride (table salt)   (2 atoms)
        2. NaCl
        1. Sodium cyanide   (3 atoms)
        2. NaCN
        1. Sodium hydroxide   (3 atoms)
        2. NaOH
        1. Sulfur dioxide   (3 atoms)
        2. SO2
        1. Sulfur monohydride   (2 atoms)
        2. SH
        1. Sulfur monoxide    (2 atoms)
        2. SO
        1. Thiocyanic acid   (4 atoms)
        2. HSCN
        1. Thioformaldehyde   (4 atoms)
        2. H2CS
        1. Thioformyl   (3 atoms)
        2. HCS
        1. Thioxoethenylidene   (3 atoms)
        2. C2S
        1. Titanium dioxide   (3 atoms)
        2. TiO2
        1. Titanium oxide   (2 atoms)
        2. TiO
        1. Triacetylene   (8 atoms)
        2. HC6H
        1. Tricarbon   (3 atoms)
        2. C3
        1. Tricarbon monoxide    (4 atoms)
        2. C3O
        1. Tricarbon sulfide   (4 atoms)
        2. C3S
        1. Trihydrogen   (3 atoms)
        2. H3+
        1. Trihydrogen cation   (3 atoms)
        2. H2D+
        1. Urea   (8 atoms)
        2. CH4N2O
        1. Vinyl alcohol   (7 atoms)
        2. C2H3OH
        1. Vinylcyanide   (7 atoms)
        2. C2H3CN
        1. Water    (3 atoms)
        2. H2O




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