Figure 15-29: R I V U X G
Comet Tempel 1 (a) This composite image of Comet Tempel 1 has higher resolution at the bottom, as the projectile from Deep Impact headed in that direction. The smooth regions on the comet have yet to be explained. (b) Thirty seconds before the projectile struck the comet. (c) Seconds after impact, hot debris explodes away from the comet nucleus. The horizontal white streak through the center is where the camera’s CCD became overloaded with light from the event. (d) Moments later, the gases and dust were expanding outward. (e) An image taken 67 s after impact. Within minutes, the cloud of debris became much larger than the entire nucleus.
Comet Tempel 1 (a) This composite image of Comet Tempel 1 has higher resolution at the bottom, as the projectile from Deep Impact headed in that direction. The smooth regions on the comet have yet to be explained. (b) Thirty seconds before the projectile struck the comet. (c) Seconds after impact, hot debris explodes away from the comet nucleus. The horizontal white streak through the center is where the camera’s CCD became overloaded with light from the event. (d) Moments later, the gases and dust were expanding outward. (e) An image taken 67 s after impact. Within minutes, the cloud of debris became much larger than the entire nucleus.
(a: NASA/JPL/UMD; b–e: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD)