September 12, 2005
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmAnatomy of a Comet
shown here in false color, has some surprising features, scientists say. In a paper published in the current Science, researchers describe the results of the recent Deep Impact mission.
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shown here in false color, has some surprising features, scientists say. In a paper published in the current Science, researchers describe the results of the recent Deep Impact mission. The comet's surface is pocked with what seem to be impact craters. The surface also warms rapidly in response to sunlight, suggesting that the light does not penetrate very deeply. Meanwhile, the comet's composition is more akin to talcum powder than to rock and it contains an abundance of organic compounds. In the image above, the impact site is located on the far side of Tempel 1 and the plume of dust stirred up by the impact appears in rainbow hues to its right.
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