“All comets indeed give evidence … of a lot of bad luck, affliction, peril and danger” wrote German author Thomas Hartmann in 1606, reflecting the fact that for a long […]
Comets and Asteroids
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
James Webb Space Telescope Identifies Origins Of Icy Building Blocks Of Life
Interstellar molecular clouds are considered to be the birth sites of planetary systems.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
NASA Scientists Study Life Origins By Simulating a Cosmic Evolution
Amino acids make up millions of proteins that drive the chemical gears of life, including essential bodily functions in animals.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Components in Chondrites: Search for Processed Materials in Young Solar Systems and Comets
We obtained mid-infrared spectra of chondrules, matrix, CAIs and bulk material from primitive type 1-4 chondrites in order to compare them with the dust material in young, forming solar systems […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Press Release
Ancient Asteroid Grains Provide Insight Into The Evolution Of Our Solar System
The UK’s national synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, was used by a large, international collaboration to study grains collected from a near-Earth asteroid to further our understanding of the evolution […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Europa, Icy Worlds, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Comet Impacts Could Bring The Ingredients For Life To Europa’s Ocean
Comet strikes on Jupiter’s moon Europa could help transport critical ingredients for life found on the moon’s surface to its hidden ocean of liquid water — even if the impacts […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Comet Nuclei Composition And Evolution
Thanks to Rosetta orbiter’s and Philae lander’s data our knowledge of cometary nuclei composition has experienced a great advancement.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Press Release
Volatile-rich Comets Ejected Early On During Solar System Formation
Comet C/2016 R2 PanSTARRS (hereafter C/2016 R2) presents an unusually high N2/CO abundance ratio, as well as a heavy depletion in H2O, making it the only known comet of its […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Press Release
A Survey Of CO, CO2, And H2O In Comets And Centaurs
CO and CO2 are the two dominant carbon-bearing molecules in comae and have major roles in driving activity. Their relative abundances also provide strong observational constraints to models of solar […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Press Release
Modelling The Water And Carbon Dioxide Production Rates Of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
The European Space Agency Rosetta/Philae mission to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014-2016 is the most complete and diverse investigation of a comet carried out thus far. Yet, many physical and chemical […]