NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
Tag: comets
NASA has officially ended the Deep Impact mission.
After a journey of 10 years, astronomers are accelerating preparations for the arrival of Europe’s Rosetta space probe at Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko.
After a journey of 10 years, astronomers are accelerating preparations for the arrival of Europe’s Rosetta space probe at Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko.
The spacecraft will be awakened in January 2014, with rendezvous later that year.
After a journey of 10 years, astronomers are accelerating preparations for the arrival of Europe’s Rosetta space probe at Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko.
The spacecraft will be awakened in January 2014, with rendezvous later that year.
It appears that Deep Impact is lost.
It appears that Deep Impact is lost.
It appears that Deep Impact is lost.
Observations of the comet that the European probe Rosetta will visit next year suggest it is becoming active earlier than expected.
Observations of the comet that the European probe Rosetta will visit next year suggest it is becoming active earlier than expected.
Observations of the comet that the European probe Rosetta will visit next year suggest it is becoming active earlier than expected.
Comet ISON has come out from behind the Sun, and it looks like it will not produce a grand show for us later this year.
Comet ISON has come out from behind the Sun, and it looks like it will not produce a grand show for us later this year.
There will be a lot of stupid commentary criticizing astronomers for hyping this comet, all unfair. The comet had the strong possibility of being spectacular. Astronomers pointed that out, being as hopeful as everyone to see a bright and beautiful comet grace our night skies for a few months. That this is not turning out to be so is not their fault.
Comet ISON has come out from behind the Sun, and it looks like it will not produce a grand show for us later this year.
There will be a lot of stupid commentary criticizing astronomers for hyping this comet, all unfair. The comet had the strong possibility of being spectacular. Astronomers pointed that out, being as hopeful as everyone to see a bright and beautiful comet grace our night skies for a few months. That this is not turning out to be so is not their fault.
A graveyard of comets.
Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely a dud.
The uncertainty of science: Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely to be a dud.
The arguments from both sides are quite interesting. Stay tuned. We will find out in only a few more months.
The uncertainty of science: Many in the astronomy community do not agree with the recent conclusions of one astronomer that Comet ISON is likely to be a dud.
The arguments from both sides are quite interesting. Stay tuned. We will find out in only a few more months.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
This fits with other recent reports, all of which suggested that the comet is not brightening as it should.
According to the observations of one Italian astronomer, it appears that Comet ISON will not be the “Comet of the Century,” as hoped.
This fits with other recent reports, all of which suggested that the comet is not brightening as it should.
“Comet of the Century”? We’ll soon find out.
“‘Comet of the Century’? We’ll soon find out.”
This article, as well as a bunch of others published this week about Comet ISON, suggest to me that the comet is going to be a dud. These articles all are suggesting that we won’t know if the comet will be as bright as hoped until after it flies around the sun. This is absolutely wrong. As the comet drops down towards the sun it should heat up and begin brightening, producing a tail. This is what all comets do. If it doesn’t brighten on its journey in, then it won’t be bright on its journey out.
That the authors of these articles don’t know that, or are hiding it, is simply bad journalism. Moreover, this effort to spin the comet’s dimness now suggests that the comet is now far dimmer than hoped, which strongly suggests it will remain that way.
“‘Comet of the Century’? We’ll soon find out.”
This article, as well as a bunch of others published this week about Comet ISON, suggest to me that the comet is going to be a dud. These articles all are suggesting that we won’t know if the comet will be as bright as hoped until after it flies around the sun. This is absolutely wrong. As the comet drops down towards the sun it should heat up and begin brightening, producing a tail. This is what all comets do. If it doesn’t brighten on its journey in, then it won’t be bright on its journey out.
That the authors of these articles don’t know that, or are hiding it, is simply bad journalism. Moreover, this effort to spin the comet’s dimness now suggests that the comet is now far dimmer than hoped, which strongly suggests it will remain that way.
New images of Comet ISON.
The lingering echo of Comet Shoemaker-Levy in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
The lingering echo of Comet Shoemaker-Levy in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
The Herschel observations, together with heat maps provided by NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, showed the researchers that the Jovian stratosphere was 20° to 30°F (10° to 15°C) warmer than it would be if completely dry. One question is whether the stratospheric warming results from the gentle, continuous infall of interplanetary dust particles, which would be warmed by sunlight as they linger high up. Cavalié and his colleagues believe IDPs create some of the infrared emission but cannot explain it all. Further, a continuously supplied source would migrate to lower depths, yet most of the emission is too high up, at pressures less than 2 millibars. And while the amount of water is roughly constant across the southern hemisphere, the emission gradually weakens northward until it’s less than half as strong. It’s not simply that Jupiter’s bottom half is hotter — there’s just more water down there. As the researchers note, “At least 95% of the observed water comes from the SL9 comet and subsequent (photo)-chemistry in Jupiter’s stratosphere according to our models, as of today.
Taken together, they conclude, these observations offer “clear evidence that a recent comet … is the principal source of water in Jupiter. What we observe today is a remnant of the oxygen delivery by the comet at 44°S in July 1994.”
The lingering echo of Comet Shoemaker-Levy in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
The Herschel observations, together with heat maps provided by NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, showed the researchers that the Jovian stratosphere was 20° to 30°F (10° to 15°C) warmer than it would be if completely dry. One question is whether the stratospheric warming results from the gentle, continuous infall of interplanetary dust particles, which would be warmed by sunlight as they linger high up. Cavalié and his colleagues believe IDPs create some of the infrared emission but cannot explain it all. Further, a continuously supplied source would migrate to lower depths, yet most of the emission is too high up, at pressures less than 2 millibars. And while the amount of water is roughly constant across the southern hemisphere, the emission gradually weakens northward until it’s less than half as strong. It’s not simply that Jupiter’s bottom half is hotter — there’s just more water down there. As the researchers note, “At least 95% of the observed water comes from the SL9 comet and subsequent (photo)-chemistry in Jupiter’s stratosphere according to our models, as of today.
Taken together, they conclude, these observations offer “clear evidence that a recent comet … is the principal source of water in Jupiter. What we observe today is a remnant of the oxygen delivery by the comet at 44°S in July 1994.”
Comet ISON is not brightening as much as expected, suggesting it will not be as spectacular as some had hoped.
Comet ISON is not brightening as much as expected, suggesting it will not be as spectacular as some had hoped.
Comet ISON is not brightening as much as expected, suggesting it will not be as spectacular as some had hoped.
A newly discovered comet has an orbit that might collide with Mars in October 2014.
Boom! A newly discovered comet has an orbit that might have it collide with Mars in October 2014.
Boom! A newly discovered comet has an orbit that might have it collide with Mars in October 2014.
The comet of the century?
I reported on the discovery of Comet ISON back in September, noting then the possibilities that this could become one of the brightest comets in years, while giving its show in primetime for the northern hemisphere. As this article also notes, this show could also be a dud, as has happened before. Stay tuned.
I reported on the discovery of Comet ISON back in September, noting then the possibilities that this could become one of the brightest comets in years, while giving its show in primetime for the northern hemisphere. As this article also notes, this show could also be a dud, as has happened before. Stay tuned.
“Comet Hergenrother is splitting apart.”
Astronomers have identified the same kind of minerals found in comets in the dusty disk surrounding the nearby star Beta Pictoris.
Astronomers have identified the same kind of minerals found in comets in our solar system in the dusty disk surrounding the nearby star Beta Pictoris.
Astronomers have identified the same kind of minerals found in comets in our solar system in the dusty disk surrounding the nearby star Beta Pictoris.
Amateurs astronomers have once again captured images of an impact of something on Jupiter.
Amateurs astronomers have once again captured images of a major impact of something on Jupiter.
Amateurs astronomers have once again captured images of a major impact of something on Jupiter.
Catching the death of a comet
Catching the death of a comet.
Catching the death of a comet.
The view of Comet Lovejoy from ISS
The view of Comet Lovejoy from ISS. With video.
The view of Comet Lovejoy from ISS. With video.
Comet Lovejoy lost its tail in skimming through the Sun’s atmosphere
Comet Lovejoy lost its tail in skimming through the Sun’s atmosphere Thursday.
Comet Lovejoy lost its tail in skimming through the Sun’s atmosphere Thursday.
Comet Elenin is no more
Chicken Little wrong again! Comet Elenin is no more.
Chicken Little wrong again! Comet Elenin is no more.
Water from comets
New results using the Herschel Space Telescope suggest that Earth’s water was brought here by comets.
New results using the Herschel Space Telescope suggest that Earth’s water was brought here by comets.
Comets Elenin & Garradd Now Showing in Night Sky
Get out those binoculars! Two comets, Elenin and Garradd, are now showing in the night sky.
Get out those binoculars! Two comets, Elenin and Garradd, are now showing in the night sky.
The Pan-STARRS Telescope has found comet that might provide a show in 2013
The Pan-STARRS Telescope has found a comet that might provide us all a show in 2013.
The Pan-STARRS Telescope has found a comet that might provide us all a show in 2013.
Stardust’s images show that Deep Impact burst underground bubbles on Comet Tempel 1
Pop! Analysis of the images that Stardust took of Comet Tempel 1 strongly suggest that when Deep Impact hit the comet’s surface it broke open several underground cavities that then burst like balloons.
Pop! Analysis of the images that Stardust took of Comet Tempel 1 strongly suggest that when Deep Impact hit the comet’s surface it broke open several underground cavities that then burst like balloons.
Observations of Comet Hale-Bopp at 30 AU
In a paper published tonight on the Los Alamos astro-ph preprint website, astronomers described new observations of Comet Hale-Bopp at a distance of 30 astronomical units, or 2.8 billion miles, from the sun. Their conclusions:
- These observations were the most distant detection of any known comet.
- The comet’s starlike appearance and its drop in brightness since the last observations suggest that the comet has finally ceased, or is about to cease, all activity, and that they are now looking directly at the comet’s nucleus instead of the coma cloud surrounding it.
- Nonetheless, the comet is brighter than expected, which also suggests that a thin layer of new ice covers its surface and thus increases its albedo.
To quote the paper, “Observing Hale-Bopp in a completely frozen state would be extremely important because a thick coma was constantly present during the entire appariation [Ed. the fly-by of the Sun]. The coma obscured the nucleus which was not observed directly. Lack photometric data of the bared nucleus, its size — one of the most important input parameter in activity models — remains uncertain.”
Evidence that liquid water once existed on a comet
Scientists have found strong evidence that liquid water once existed in the interior of a comet.
Scientists have found strong evidence that liquid water once existed in the interior of a comet.
The ripples in the rings of Saturn and Jupiter were caused by comets that hit them decades ago
The ripples in the rings of Saturn and Jupiter were caused by comet impacts decades ago.
The ripples in the rings of Saturn and Jupiter were caused by comet impacts decades ago.
Stardust to end its mission after twelve years
Stardust has ended its mission after twelve years and two comet flybys.
Ground controllers will command the spacecraft to fire up its four rocket thrusters one last time at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) today to use up its remaining fuel. Engineers plan to watch closely while the probe’s propellant tank ran dry to help future missions gauge their fuel reserves more precisely.
Stardust has ended its mission after twelve years and two comet flybys.
Ground controllers will command the spacecraft to fire up its four rocket thrusters one last time at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) today to use up its remaining fuel. Engineers plan to watch closely while the probe’s propellant tank ran dry to help future missions gauge their fuel reserves more precisely.
Stardust images of comet locate crater from Deep Impact’s impact
More news from Stardust: scientists have now identified what they think is the crater produced by Deep Impact’s impact in 2005. Key quote:
The images revealed a 150-metre-wide crater at the Deep Impact collision point that was not present in 2005. The crater is a subtle feature in the images, but it appears consistently in multiple views from the spacecraft. “So I feel very confident that we did find the [impact] site,” said mission member Peter Schultz of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, at a press briefing on Tuesday. The crater’s features are “subdued” rather than sharply defined, like those of craters made in hard materials like rock. “The message is: This surface of the comet where we hit is very weak,” said Schultz. The crater also has a small mound in its middle, indicating that some of the material thrown up by the impact was drawn by the comet’s gravity back down into the crater, he said: “In a way, it partly buried itself.”
More news from Stardust: scientists have now identified what they think is the crater produced by Deep Impact’s impact in 2005. Key quote:
The images revealed a 150-metre-wide crater at the Deep Impact collision point that was not present in 2005. The crater is a subtle feature in the images, but it appears consistently in multiple views from the spacecraft. “So I feel very confident that we did find the [impact] site,” said mission member Peter Schultz of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, at a press briefing on Tuesday. The crater’s features are “subdued” rather than sharply defined, like those of craters made in hard materials like rock. “The message is: This surface of the comet where we hit is very weak,” said Schultz. The crater also has a small mound in its middle, indicating that some of the material thrown up by the impact was drawn by the comet’s gravity back down into the crater, he said: “In a way, it partly buried itself.”