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Evidence for more dust than ice in comets   This image shows the initial ejecta that resulted when NASA's Deep Impact probe collided with Comet 9P/Tempel 1 at 07:52 CEST, 4 July 2005. It was taken by the spacecraft's high-resolution camera 13 seconds after impact. The image has been digitally processed to better show the comet's nucleus.  The Hubble Space Telescope was 120 million kilometres away from the comet when this image was taken by the high-resolution Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The telescope's views complement close-up images being taken by cameras aboard Deep Impact, which is speeding toward the comet.
This image, snapped at 14:15 (UT/GMT) on 14 June, reveals the 'jet' (the bright fan-shaped area). The jet extends about 2200 kilometres, which is roughly the distance from Copenhagen to Athens. It is pointing in the direction of the Sun. Release date: 12 October 2005 |