I think the article you really want to read is the one on "CPT symmetry". It states that if the parity, charge, and time axis are reversed, all properties remain the same. I take this as implying (via a few intermediate steps) that the emission spectra of foo and antifoo are identical for all foo, so the answer to your question is "You can't tell through a telescope.". I think it also implies that the freezing point of antiwater would be the same as that of water, and so on. On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 2:27 PM, Henry Baker <hbaker1@pipeline.com> wrote:
I read the very interesting wikipedia article on antimatter, which answered a number of my questions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter
However, it didn't answer my basic question:
"How do we know whether something we're looking at in a telescope is matter or anti-matter?"
I.e., what features of the object gives away its matter v. anti-matter nature?
Also, does anti-matter really duplicate the chemical features of matter?
E.g., would anti-water freeze at 0C and boil at 100C? Could we form anti-carbon graphite, buckeyballs, etc.?
I was also intrigued that 50% of the energy in matter/anti-matter collisions is carried off by neutrinos! Sounds like a pretty ideal neutrino "light" bulb to me.
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