Deep Impact
 Deep Impact, a spacecraft set for launch on January 12, will fire a small instrumented probe at Comet Tempel 1 when it flies past the comet in July. The probe will slam into the comet, blasting tons of gas and dust into space and gouging a deep crater. Instruments on the main Deep Impact spacecraft will study the crater and the material ejected from it to learn more about conditions in the early solar system, when the comet and the planets -- including Earth -- were formed. Deep Impact's launch was delayed from its original target date of December 30. [Credit: NASA/JPL]
While many people are getting ready for big fireworks displays to celebrate the new year, astronomers are getting ready for a fireworks display for the Fourth of July. The fireworks will blast a crater in a comet, giving astronomers a look deep inside it -- perhaps at material that's remained unchanged since the birth of the solar system.
The fireworks will be provided by a spacecraft called Deep Impact. It's scheduled for launch as early as this week.
In about six months, the craft will fly past Comet Tempel 1. While its cameras and other instruments study Tempel 1 from a safe distance, Deep Impact will fire a small probe at the comet. The probe carries its own instruments, and will study the comet until it slams into it on July 4th.
The high-speed collision should gouge a crater in the comet's surface that's as deep as a seven-story building. It'll vaporize many tons of the comet's frozen water and gas and spew them into space.
Deep Impact will study this outrush of material in detail, measuring its composition, the size of the particles, and more. Then it'll train its instruments on the floor of the crater. Material there should have changed little since the comet formed four and a half billion years ago.
And since comets are leftover "building blocks" for the planets, Deep Impact's readings should tell us more about the material that gave birth to Earth -- providing some scientific fireworks long after the mission is over.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2004
For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine.
|
Contact | About | Friends of McDonald | Sign up for Sky Tips
