By the end of the 18<sup>th</sup> century, a number of analytical procedures and instruments (accurate balances, the blowpipe, etc.), as well as analytical – mostly color – reactions had been developed, which allowed for studying the chemical composition of extraterrestrial bodies directly accessible on Earth, such as meteorites. For example, the investigations of Axel Fredrik Cronstedt (1722-1765) and Torbern Bergman (1735-1784), related to the analysis of rocks, ores, and minerals, inspired and informed early work on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of meteorites, such as the studies conducted by Edward Howard (1774-1816). In addition, the production of optically clear glass and therefore – of high-quality optical instruments – enabled the accurate spectral studies of the Sun, carried out by William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828) and especially Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826). This early research soon led to the discovery of the chemical element helium in the Sun before it was found on Earth. In the second half of the 19<sup>th</sup> century, William Huggins (1824-1910) published the first detailed spectral studies that elucidated the chemical composition of comets, stars, and nebulae. These and some other pioneering works on the chemical composition of and the nature of chemical reactions occurring in the universe will be the subject of this talk.

Understanding the chemistry of the universe: Some early studies

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