Comets
A New Target for Deep Impact
NASA announced today that it will be extending Deep Impact's mission, giving it a chance to visit another comet. The…
Help Look for Space Dust
If you've got keen eyes, a computer connection, and a little spare time, you could help discover particles of interstellar…
Spitzer View of Comet Chunks
The broken Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachmann 3. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Click to enlarge As Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachmann 3 is falling apart before our…
Comets May Be the Source of Earth’s Water
The new comet is indicated by the blue arrow. Image credit: Gemini Observatory Click to enlarge Astronomers have discovered three…
Giotto Met Halley 20 Years Ago
An artist's impression of Giotto's brief encounter with comet Halley. Image credit: ESA Click to enlarge This week the European…
The Risk of a Comet Strike is Low
Although astronomers have discovered plenty of comets, they've always thought it was just a fraction (less than 3%) of the…
Tempel 1’s Ingredients
When Deep Impact excavated a crater in Comet Tempel 1, it released a spew of material that has existed since…
Surprising Insights Into Comet Tempel 1
Even though Deep Impact smashed into Comet Tempel 1 several months ago, scientists are still analyzing the data gathered before…
SOHO Gets Its 1,000th Comet
The most successful comet hunter in history is actually the ESA/NASA SOHO spacecraft, which spends its time gazing at the…
Deep Impact’s Plume Was Bigger Than Expected
When Deep Impact's impactor slammed into Comet Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005, it released a tremendous cloud of fine…