[quote=Theodorable]
As a chemist, I'd go as far to say as you don't know the exact specifications of beyond it's physical composition and the addendum of whatever hi-fi you added to isolate your nation. Nebulae, even dense nebulae that are so inappropriately named (), are not immune to radio waves or waves that are beyond the standard spectrum: X-Rays, Gamma, Infrared.The Graal would have no trouble identifying the presence of thermonuclear heat signatures planetside or the abundance of low frequency radio waves on the planet, this is technology Humanity in the 21st century possess. I won't press the issue however. LOL.
[/quote]

Actually, chemistry has little to do with it. Dark Nebula obscure both thermal energy waves and visible light due to the density of the stellar dust of the clouds, and as such only infrared and radio waves are able to discern what is on the other side of them. The Graal would be able to discern that there is a star and planets within Asphodel's nebula, but they would not be able to discern whether or not there is actually life on the worlds unless they scouted directly.

Further reading: [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_nebula]Dark Nebula[/url]

Edit: Though I suppose really it would all be a matter of "We've picked up radio transmission from the cloud, kind of odd, eh?"

Also, I'm going to say that from personal RP experience with Terminal, he likely knows exactly what he's talking about, and has proven to be a knowledgeable source in the fields of physics, whether standard, quantum or astro.