Astronomers Discover Supergiant Star Spews Molecules Needed for Life

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Jets of molecules indicated by red and blue arrows flow from the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope. The blue arrow (lower right) shows the slight deviation of the squirt flow from the direction towards us. Th ...
Jets of molecules, indicated by red and blue arrows, flow from the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope. The blue arrow (lower right) shows the slight deviation of the “squirt” flow from the direction towards us. The curved nebulous tail (CNT) and red arrow (upper right) show the fan of material flowing away from us and to the side. The white arrows and transparent circle show the general spherical flow of matter outward. (Illustration: UA Steward Observatory)

University of Arizona astronomers who are probing the oxygen-rich environment around a supergiant star with one of the world's most sensitive radio telescopes have discovered a score of molecules that include compounds needed for life.


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