Life-Enabling Molecules Spotted in Orion Nebula

Space.com ^ | 3/12/10 | sp

[NormsRevenge]

Theories exist that past civilizations on earth have links to Orion.

[NormsRevenge]

Data, called a spectrum, showing water and organics in the Orion nebula. The data were taken by the heterodyne instrument for the far infrared, or HIFI, onboard the Herschel Space Observatory, a European Space Agency-led mission with important participation from NASA. Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech

[Ferris]

Read the tagline..

[Red Badger]

If those same chemicals were found in the atmosphere of earth, they’d be pollutants................

[NormsRevenge]

Herschel Astronomers’ website
http://herschel.esac.esa.int/

[WayneS]

It is known to be one of the most prolific chemical factories in space...

AHA!

So it's the Orion NEBULA that's causing global warming.

[Red Badger]

Theories exist that past civilizations on earth have links to Orion.

L. Ron Hubbard fan, are we?............

[Pajama Blogger]

I saw them last year but I was too lazy to report it.

[NormsRevenge]

Strange note, eh?

I guess it depends on what spiral arm of the galaxy ya come from or sumthin’. ;-)

[FormerACLUmember]

“Theories exist that past civilizations on earth have links to Orion.”

No way. Life, however, is very, very common in the universe.

[NormsRevenge]

slacker! :-]

the more cheese, the chewier the forum..

[Red Badger]

[NormsRevenge]

I don’t know. Why not?

Distance to an advanced race of critters would seem surmountable if they had some luck and avoided cosmic sinkholes along the way.. and look how many books are out there about our connections to ancients and star travelers and such.

[Vermont Lt]

Decent enough book. Horrible movie.

I read it when I had no idea who L Ron Hubbard was.

Anyway, someone must have a pretty good telescope to find molecules.

[Pajama Blogger]

I’ll do better next time. But just to alert everyone I saw life enabling molecules floating around Sigma Draconis last month. Next to the crater that looks like two puppies dancing.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

No ethanol?

[Red Badger]

Anyway, someone must have a pretty good telescope to find molecules.

They analyze the light with a spectroscope. Each chemical has an identifying light absorption signature.

[Red Badger]

No ethanol. Apparently aliens are teetotalers...............

[<1/1,000,000th%]

They’re sticking with wood alcohol, methanol.

[NormsRevenge]

Sigma Draconis ?

dwoof dwoof.. Got it!