SOFIA can identify spectral fingerprints of the processes creating the universe’s water at wavelengths inaccessible to any other observatory. A deep “trough” in spectral brightness observed at a frequency of 1391.5 gigahertz (wavelength of 215.6 microns) with SOFIA’s GREAT spectrometer indicates abundant deuterated hydroxyl (OD) molecules in the interstellar material between Earth and a protostar at the position indicated by the arrow. More info: http://go.nasa.gov/1t9dJ9I
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