Astronomers at the Carnegie Institution have found the first indications of highly complex organic molecules in the disk of red dust surrounding a distant star. The eight-million-year-old star, known as HR 4796A, is inferred to be in the late stages of planet formation, suggesting that the basic building blocks of life may be common in planetary systems.
HR 4796A is located in the constellation Centaurus, visible primarily from the southern hemisphere. It is about 220 light years from Earth.

Red Dust in Planet-Forming Disk May Harbor Precursors to Life