[X] My Assistant

[nprev]

The capsule began its return to Japan a few moments ago as I write this. Seems like a good time to start a new topic for the much-anticipated final results of this epic mission.

[Juramike]

...organic materials on such a tiny body like Itokawa in near vacuum out in deep space in such cold temperatures.

The definition of "organic molecules" are molecules with covalent bonds with carbon-carbon or carbon-nitrogen or carbon-hydrogen bonds.
(see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_compound" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_compound</a>)

This definition excludes things like: CO, CO2, carbonate (anion), -CN (anion). These are all considered inorganic.

Small organics include little things like: H2CO, CH4, and HCN. I'd also throw in that reactive intermediates such as: .C2. (diradical), .:CH (radical carbene), :CH2 (carbene) and .CH3 (radical) are all organic and will undergo organic reactions.

[Bonus trivia: Things with organic bonds but covalently bound to a metal center are considered organometallic. Most of the chemistry fun these undergo is based on the properties of the metal center. An example is ferrocene: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocene]

It is really important to keep in mind that most organic molecules can be easily accessed by non-biotic organic chemistry. (Biochemistry is a subset of organic chemistry.)

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There was a very recent discovery of a "pretty complex" organic molecule in deep space - anthracene. Check out:
http://www.physorg.com/news196334906.html

Finding organics on Itokawa is not weird at all, but which compounds and how much will give interesting information on the chemistry of asteroids, solar system objects, and molecular exchanges with deep space. (Isotope ratios will be very useful.)
It will be exciting to see the analysis results. Keep us posted!