INTERSTELLAR ICES STUDIED WITH THE INFRARED SPACE-OBSERVATORY

The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) was launched by the European Spac e Agency on 17 November 1995. The availability of spectra from the She a Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) on ISO is a landmark in the study of i nterstellar ices and organics; they provide a wealth of data in the 2- 20 mu m region of the spectrum covering the principal solid state reso nances of condensed matter in interstellar clouds. We thus have the op portunity to study many species likely to be relevant to the inventory of CNO-bearing interstellar material present at the formation of our own and other planetary systems. This paper presents a brief overview of what has been learned from the data available so far. A comparison is made between the compositions of ices in molecular clouds, protoste llar condensations and comets. Key areas of uncertainty are highlighte d as a basis for future research.