Astrobiology & Cosmic Origins of Life
We often look up and wonder how we came to exist on this small blue planet. We also wonder whether life exists beyond our own world, scattered among the stars that gave us birth. The story of life that began on Earth truly began in the stars. At Space Haven Observatory, we explore these cosmic connections through Project C.O.O.L. (Cosmic Origins of Life). Above is the Question Mark Galaxy, 30 million light-years away, photographed during the winter months (© Space Haven Observatory).
Nebulae
Billions of years ago, our Sun itself was formed in a vast nebula; a cloud of hydrogen, helium, and heavier elements that glowed faintly within our galaxy, the Milky Way. Inside such nebulae, gravity gathers gas and dust and compresses them until nuclear fusion ignites, birthing new stars and recycling the remains of old ones. Depicted is the Rosette Nebula a star nursery 5200 light-years away within our galaxy.
Our Sun
After its birth, dust and gas swirled around our young star, gradually forming the Earth and other planets. Depicted here is our Sun, showing sunspots on its surface. Added graphically—and approximately scaled—are the Earth and Moon (distances and orbits are not to scale).
Stardust
Everything that makes life possible—the carbon in our cells, the calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood—was forged in stars. The universe, through its endless cycle of creation and transformation, built the elements that would one day awaken consciousness itself—giving us the ability to wonder about our own beginnings.
Astrobiology
At Space Haven Observatory, we explore these cosmic connections through Project C.O.O.L. (Cosmic Origins of Life). Our research combines advanced astrophotography with AI-driven analysis to identify subtle patterns within nebulae that may reveal the raw ingredients of life.
Research
This research contributes observational data and analysis to NASA repositories such as the Exoplanet Archive and the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST), helping refine targets for instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope in the search for life-supporting exoplanets.
Cosmic Continuum
The universe is a grand chain of connections—life shaped by chemistry, chemistry born in stars, and stars forged from matter born in the Big Bang.
