Are galaxies of antimatter identifiable?

AI Thread Summary
Galaxies composed of antimatter cannot be distinguished from those made of ordinary matter using spectroscopic methods due to the nature of photons. Since photons are their own antiparticles, antimatter emits antiphotons that are indistinguishable from regular photons. This means that the electromagnetic waves emitted by antimatter galaxies would appear identical to those from matter galaxies. Consequently, there is no optical method available to differentiate between the two types of galaxies. The discussion highlights the fundamental challenge in identifying cosmic antimatter.
Leo Klem
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12 August 2009

My question relates to the search for antimatter in the cosmic space. As far as many laymen know, the composition of the material ingredients of galaxies is detected through spectroscopic analysis (i.e. through the analysis of the electromagnetic waves emitted).
Considering that antimatter consists of leptons and hadrons that substantially differ from the corresponding components of the ordinary matter only because of the respective electrical charges, is there any special reason that makes spectroscopic methods distinguish galaxies of matter from galaxies of antimatter?
In simpler words, can galaxies consisting of atoms of antimatter (in electrical equilibrium) be optically distinguished from galaxies made of ordinary matter?
 
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No, because a photon is its own antiparticle. In other words, even if antimatter emits antiphotons, we can't tell the difference because an antiphoton IS a photon just like the ones we know and love.
 

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