Helium hydride ion detected in space for the first time

An image showing the structure of HeH+

Source: William B. Latter (SIRTF Science Center/Caltech)

Terahertz rotational spectroscopy identifies long-sought molecular bond in a nebula

Despite the helium hydride ion HeH+ first appearing 13.8 billion years ago, following the big bang, from humanity’s perspective it had been lost in space. Now, scientists have convincingly spied it in space for the first time, in a nebula that exists in the current universe.