Since I posted on this previously, I figured a follow-up was called for.
The Deep Impact probe designed to investigate the composition of comet Tempel 1 successfully made a big-ass BOOM! The event was captured by telescopes around the globe, and the scientists are continually reassuring the public that the orbit of the comet has not been altered. ("No, man...seriously. Think Bugs-against-a-windshield. There will be no death spiral down into Earth. None.") It was first time human technology has actually touched an orbiting comet, as the 2004 probe following comet Wild 2 only got as close as 147 miles.
Cool-looking, if not otherwise-lacking-in-meaningful-detail, pic from nytimes.com:
The Deep Impact probe designed to investigate the composition of comet Tempel 1 successfully made a big-ass BOOM! The event was captured by telescopes around the globe, and the scientists are continually reassuring the public that the orbit of the comet has not been altered. ("No, man...seriously. Think Bugs-against-a-windshield. There will be no death spiral down into Earth. None.") It was first time human technology has actually touched an orbiting comet, as the 2004 probe following comet Wild 2 only got as close as 147 miles.
Cool-looking, if not otherwise-lacking-in-meaningful-detail, pic from nytimes.com:
(Jet Propulsion Laboratory/AP)
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