Post Date: November, 7, 2015
Posted By: Team ANALYST [ID: MN-HC-001]
Sugar & Alcohol found on Comet 'Lovejoy'
According to the journal posted by Nicolas Biver, (scientist at Paris Observatory, France) in Science Advance, a team led by the author has found sugar and alcohol on the surface of comet ‘Lovejoy’. The article was actually aired on October 23, 2015.
Comet ‘Lovejoy’, also documented as C/2014 Q2 was first discovered by the Australian astronomer Terry Lovejoy in August, 2014. Following the research, it came to know that it comes from the ‘Oort Cloud’ and passes by the Earth once in every 8,000 years. It was also cited to be one of the brightest and most active comets after the last one, Comet Hale-Bopp (1997) was found.
On January 30, 2015, the comet was passing its perihelion and at the moment it was releasing water at a rate of 20 tons/sec. The team observed a microwave glow from the comet using the 30-meter (100-foot) diameter radio telescope at Pico Veleta in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Spain. They found 21 different gases of organic molecules. Among them ethyl alcohol and glycol aldehyde (CH2OHCHO), a simple monosaccharide sugar were the new findings. According to previous discoveries, water, simple hydrocarbons, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen-bearing species are the commonly found molecules on comets. But alcohol and sugar are the first to be added to the list. Nicolas Biver stated that, "We found that comet Lovejoy was releasing as much alcohol as in at least 500 bottles of wine every second during its peak activity".
Before this discovery, there was a debate on the theory that formation of life on earth was possible because of comets as they are the most active water-releasing object in the galaxy. But, due to the new findings, the debate arose to a higher level. Although the theory is not hundred percent proven yet but existence of organic molecules will lead the scientist to a new discovery for sure.
References
1. Science Advances. (2015, October 23). Ethyl alcohol and sugar in comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). Retrieved October 24, 2015, from Science Advances: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/9/e1500863
2. Phys.org. (2015, October 23). In unexpected discovery, comet contains alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from Phys.org: http://phys.org/news/2015-10-unexpected-discovery-comet-alcohol-sugar.html
3. Tech Times. (2015, October 23). Astronomers Find Lovejoy Comet Releasing Alcohol, Sugar Across The Solar System. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from techtimes.com: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/99237/20151024/astronomers-find-lovejoy-comet-releasing-alcohol-sugar-across-the-solar-system.htm
4. Independent,UK. (2015, October 26). Comet Lovejoy releases alcohol and sugar in space, say scientists. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from independent.co.uk: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/some-researchers-think-that-comet-impacts-on-ancient-earth-delivered-a-supply-of-organic-molecules-a6707271.html
5. Science News. (2015, October 23). Comet carries alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from sciencenews.org: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/comet-carries-alcohol-sugar
6. Yahoo News. (2015, October 23). In unexpected discovery, comet contains alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from in.news.yahoo.com: https://in.news.yahoo.com/unexpected-discovery-comet-contains-alcohol-182309427.html
7. Forbes. (2015, October 26). Comet Lovejoy's Cosmic Chemistry Includes Ethyl Alcohol And A Sugar. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carmendrahl/2015/10/26/comet-lovejoys-cosmic-chemistry-includes-ethyl-alcohol-and-a-sugar/
Posted By: Team ANALYST [ID: MN-HC-001]
Sugar & Alcohol found on Comet 'Lovejoy'
According to the journal posted by Nicolas Biver, (scientist at Paris Observatory, France) in Science Advance, a team led by the author has found sugar and alcohol on the surface of comet ‘Lovejoy’. The article was actually aired on October 23, 2015.
Comet ‘Lovejoy’, also documented as C/2014 Q2 was first discovered by the Australian astronomer Terry Lovejoy in August, 2014. Following the research, it came to know that it comes from the ‘Oort Cloud’ and passes by the Earth once in every 8,000 years. It was also cited to be one of the brightest and most active comets after the last one, Comet Hale-Bopp (1997) was found.
On January 30, 2015, the comet was passing its perihelion and at the moment it was releasing water at a rate of 20 tons/sec. The team observed a microwave glow from the comet using the 30-meter (100-foot) diameter radio telescope at Pico Veleta in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Spain. They found 21 different gases of organic molecules. Among them ethyl alcohol and glycol aldehyde (CH2OHCHO), a simple monosaccharide sugar were the new findings. According to previous discoveries, water, simple hydrocarbons, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen-bearing species are the commonly found molecules on comets. But alcohol and sugar are the first to be added to the list. Nicolas Biver stated that, "We found that comet Lovejoy was releasing as much alcohol as in at least 500 bottles of wine every second during its peak activity".
Before this discovery, there was a debate on the theory that formation of life on earth was possible because of comets as they are the most active water-releasing object in the galaxy. But, due to the new findings, the debate arose to a higher level. Although the theory is not hundred percent proven yet but existence of organic molecules will lead the scientist to a new discovery for sure.
References
1. Science Advances. (2015, October 23). Ethyl alcohol and sugar in comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). Retrieved October 24, 2015, from Science Advances: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/9/e1500863
2. Phys.org. (2015, October 23). In unexpected discovery, comet contains alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from Phys.org: http://phys.org/news/2015-10-unexpected-discovery-comet-alcohol-sugar.html
3. Tech Times. (2015, October 23). Astronomers Find Lovejoy Comet Releasing Alcohol, Sugar Across The Solar System. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from techtimes.com: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/99237/20151024/astronomers-find-lovejoy-comet-releasing-alcohol-sugar-across-the-solar-system.htm
4. Independent,UK. (2015, October 26). Comet Lovejoy releases alcohol and sugar in space, say scientists. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from independent.co.uk: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/some-researchers-think-that-comet-impacts-on-ancient-earth-delivered-a-supply-of-organic-molecules-a6707271.html
5. Science News. (2015, October 23). Comet carries alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from sciencenews.org: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/comet-carries-alcohol-sugar
6. Yahoo News. (2015, October 23). In unexpected discovery, comet contains alcohol, sugar. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from in.news.yahoo.com: https://in.news.yahoo.com/unexpected-discovery-comet-contains-alcohol-182309427.html
7. Forbes. (2015, October 26). Comet Lovejoy's Cosmic Chemistry Includes Ethyl Alcohol And A Sugar. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/carmendrahl/2015/10/26/comet-lovejoys-cosmic-chemistry-includes-ethyl-alcohol-and-a-sugar/