Detection of the 157 micron /1910 GHz/ /C II/ emission line from the interstellar gas complexes NGC 2024 and M42

We present the first detection of the (C II) fine-structure emission line at a wavelength of 157 ..mu..m. The (C II) line strengths are 7.1 x 10/sup -16/ and 1.0 x 10/sup -15/W cm/sup -2/, respectively, in NGC 2024 and M42. The line-to-continuum ratio is higher in NGC 2024 where the continuum is 7.0 x 10/sup -16/ W cm/sup -2/ ..mu..m/sup -1/, in contrast to M42 where it assumes a value of 2.6 x 10/sup -15/W cm/sup -2/ ..mu..m/sup -1/. The respective luminosities in the line are approx.50 and 80 L/sub sun/. The observations were obtained with a stressed Ge:Ga photoconductor.