science π Giant molecular cloud spotted near Sun π
A large molecular-hydrogen cloud named Eos was discovered, spanning roughly 40 full-Moon widths across the sky. This cloud is located about 307 light-years from the Sun, with the near side being the closest point. The study was made possible by a 2025 research effort looking for molecular hydrogen in a unique way. Typically, cold H2 is hard to see, so astronomers usually rely on carbon monoxide as a proxy. However, Eos was revealed through far-ultraviolet fluorescence from the hydrogen itself.