Expert: Ed - 1/28/2009

Question
i saw something on the history channel about a nebula (i think they said it was
in the aquila constellation) that was made primarily of ethyl alcohol. i wanted to
know the official name of the nebula and perhaps where i could find a picture of
it...?

Answer
Laura,
OK, I know what you're thinking of.  It was reported in 1995.  Look at this old article:
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/beercld.htm

It sounds like the research was done at Ohio State University.  If you really want to know, I bet the office staff there would be happy to help you.  I bet they have a clipping on the wall in their office, with all the information.  Send them the link I just posted up above, and ask specifically about the research done by Eric Herbst (from their department!) and Frank De Lucia, (from the Ohio State physics dept.) published in the April, 1995 issue of Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data.
http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/Dept/staff.html

Make sure you tell them that you'd like to know the name of the nebula, and ask if they can tell you where to find a photo.  Or get back to me, and I'll see what I can do.

Keep Looking Up,
--Ed