Physics and Astronomy Publications
Detection of C60 and C70 in a Young Planetary Nebula
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-3-2010
Journal
Science
Volume
329
Issue
5996
First Page
1180
Last Page
1182
URL with Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1192035
Abstract
In the last decades, a number of molecules and diverse dust features have been identified by astronomical observations in various environments. Most of the dust that determines the physical and chemical characteristics of the interstellar medium (ISM) is formed in the outflows of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and is further processed when these objects become planetary nebulae (PNe). Here, we report on the environment of Tc 1, a peculiar PN whose infrared spectrum shows emission from cold and neutral C60 and C70. The two molecules amount to a few percent of the available cosmic carbon in this region, showing that if the conditions are right, fullerenes can and do form efficiently in space.
Notes
The abstract and full text reprint of this article are freely available online from Science.
Relevant data and images are available from NASA Telescope Finds Elusive Buckyballs in Space. There are also two videos in which Dr. Jan Cami talks about the study. They are embedded below.