The Mystery of FeH+: A New X-ray Discovery in Space

Have you ever wondered what's hiding in the depths of space? Scientists have just made a fascinating discovery using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. They've found the first-ever absorption spectrum of the molecular ion FeH+. This tiny particle is like a tiny puzzle piece, helping us understand the chemistry of the universe. The spectrum was captured at the L2 and L3 edges, showing that there's about 6. 24 electrons in the iron's 3d orbit. But why is this important? Well, it might help explain what we see when we look at stars like Cygnus X-1. The spectrum there is similar, so FeH+ could be part of the mix. It's like finding a new color in the space rainbow! This discovery is exciting because it opens new doors in astrochemistry. We can now look for more of these molecular ions and learn more about the universe. It's like solving a cosmic jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time.