Methanol, CH₃OH, also known as methyl alcohol, was among the early molecules to be detected in space. Its was first detected toward Sagittarius A and Sgr B2 in its A symmetry a-type Q-branch transition 1₁₀ – 1₁₁ near 834 MHz by:
J. A. Ball, C. A. Gottlieb, A. E. Lilley, and H. E. Radford,
Detection of Methyl Alcohol in Sagittarius
Astrophys. J. 162, L203–L210 (1970).

Soon thereafter, 5 subsequent E symmetry Q-branch transitions with 4 ≤ J ≤ 8 and K = +2 – +1 near 25 GHz were detected toward Orion A by:
A. H. Barrett, P. R. Schwartz, and J. W. Waters,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/180793
Astrophys. J. 168, L101–L106 (1971).

Contributor(s): H. S. P. Müller; 1, 2010