Deep Impact hit its target. Everybody is happy.
The brighter-than-expected white flash of light climaxed a daring mission "that's something to be proud of on America's birthday," said Rick Grammier, the mission's project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
About 12 hours after the barrel-sized Deep Impact space probe smashed into a comet half the size of Manhattan, scientists showed off dramatic, sci-fi-like images. Photos shot by the impactor probe as it awaited its suicidal collision revealed for the
first time the surface of the comet Tempel 1 as it closed in at 23,000 mph.The close-ups revealed not so much the pickle-shaped comet that scientists originally thought, but one that looked more like a potato, lumpy and pocked. Michael A'Hearn, an astronomer at the University of Maryland and Deep Impact principal investigator, likened it to a muffin or loaf of bread.
The impact released a bright flash followed by a larger one as a plume of trapped
gas and debris spewed from the comet's belly into space, backlit by the sun. The cloud blocked scientists' view of the excavated crater and it could be weeks before the dust disappears. Still, scientists were confident they accomplished their mission because they were able to see the crater's shadow in the photos."Our experiment went very, very well," said co-investigator Pete Schultz of Brown University, who seemed to be brimming with enthusiasm. "We touched a comet and we touched it hard."
The mission seemed to spark enthusiasm of skywatchers too. Officials at JPL said the Deep Impact web site had 1 billion hits, compared to some 400 million hits for the Mars mission. Scientists said the comet appears to have a soft, dusty surface with crater-like features. Trapped ice seems to be below the surface, possibly containing the primordial ingredients of the solar system, Schultz said. Scientists are hoping to get to the core of this rocky, ice-filled structure to learn about the origins of the sun and planets.
So it appears the comet looked nothing like the jagged landsape we saw on 'Armageddon' - but that was an asteroid.
Nine Inch Nail Re-mixes
Trent Reznor has released another track to the public to be remixed. The track is titled 'Only'
Good on Trent.
So naturally I've done a re-mix too, so please check it out on my artist page at iCompositons. You won't be disappointed. :)
- Art Neuro
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