Free Astronomy Magazine July-August 2015

SPACE CHRONICLES astronomer with the Harvard-Smith- sonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and lead author of the scientific paper on the discovery. “We now have even better evidence that this same chemistry exists else- where in the Universe, in regions that could form solar systems not unlike our own.” This is particularly intrigu- ing, Öberg notes, since the molecules found in MWC 480 are also found in similar concentrations in the Solar System’s comets. The star MWC 480, which is about twice the mass of the Sun, is located 455 light-years away in the Taurus star-forming region. Its surround- ing disc is in the very early stages of development — having recently coa- lesced out of a cold, dark nebula of dust and gas. Studies with ALMA and other telescopes have yet to de- tect any obvious signs of planet for- mation in it, although higher reso- lution observations may reveal struc- tures similar to HL Tauri, which is of a similar age. Astronomers have known for some time that cold, dark interstellar clouds are very efficient factories for complex organic molecules — includ- ing a group of molecules known as cyanides. Cyanides, and most espe- cially methyl cyanide, are important because they contain carbon–nitro- gen bonds, which are essential for the formation of amino acids, the foundation of proteins and the build- ing blocks of life. Until now, it has re- mained unclear, however, if these same complex organic molecules commonly form and survive in the energetic environment of a newly forming solar system, where shocks and radiation can easily break chem- ical bonds. By exploiting ALMA’s re- markable sensitivity astronomers can see from the latest observations that these molecules not only sur- vive, but flourish. Importantly, the molecules ALMA detected are much T his image shows the sky around the young star MWC 480 in the con- stellation of Taurus (The Bull). This picture was assembled from images forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2. [ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2] would be squarely in the comet-form- ing zone. As this system continues to evolve, astronomers speculate that it’s likely that the organic molecules safely locked away in comets and other icy bodies will be ferried to en- vironments more nurturing to life. “From the study of exoplanets, we know the Solar System isn’t unique in its number of planets or abun- dance of water,” concluded Öberg. “Now we know we’re not unique in organic chemistry. Once more, we have learnt that we’re not special. From a life in the Universe point of view, this is great news .” more abundant than would be found in interstellar clouds. This tells astronomers that protoplanetary discs are very efficient at forming complex organic molecules and that they are able to form them on rela- tively short timescales. This rapid formation is essential to outpace the forces that would otherwise break the molecules apart. Also, these mol- ecules were detected in a relatively serene part of the disc, roughly 4.5 to 15 billion kilometres from the central star. Though very distant by Solar System standards, in MWC 480’s scaled-up dimensions, this n