 |
|
Hubble zooms in on heart of mystery comet
November 15, 2007The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has probed the bright core of Comet 17P/Holmes which, to the delight of sky watchers, mysteriously brightened by nearly a million-fold in a 24-hour period beginning October 23, 2007.
Astronomers have used Hubble's powerful resolution to study Comet Holmes' core for clues about how the comet brightened. The orbiting observatory's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) monitored the comet for several days, snapping images on 29 Oct., 31 Oct. and 4 Nov. Hubble's crisp "eye" can see details as small as 54 kilometres across, providing the sharpest view yet of the source of the spectacular brightening.
The Hubble image at right, taken on 4 Nov., shows the heart of the comet. The central portion of the image has been specially processed to highlight variations in the dust distribution near the nucleus. About twice as much dust lies along the east-west direction (the horizontal direction) as along the north-south direction (the vertical direction), giving the comet a "bow tie" appearance.
The composite colour image at left, taken Nov. 1 by the amateur astronomer Alan Dyer, shows the complex structure of the entire coma, consisting of concentric shells of dust and a faint tail emanating from the comet's right side.
The nucleus - the small solid body that is the source of the comet's activity - is still swaddled in bright dust, even 12 days after the spectacular outburst. "Most of what Hubble sees is sunlight scattered from microscopic particles," explained Hal Weaver of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory of Laurel, Maryland in the USA, who led the Hubble investigation. "But we may finally be starting to detect the emergence of the nucleus itself in this final Hubble image."
Hubble first observed Comet 17P/Holmes on June 15, 1999, when there was virtually no dusty shroud around the nucleus. Although Hubble cannot resolve the nucleus, astronomers inferred its size by measuring its brightness. Astronomers deduced that the nucleus's diameter was approximately 3.4 kilometres, about the distance between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre glass pyramid in Paris. They hope to use the new Hubble images to determine the size of the comet's nucleus to see how much of it was blasted away during the outburst.
Hubble's two earlier snapshots of Comet Holmes also showed some interesting features. On 29 Oct. the telescope spied three "spurs" of dust emanating from the nucleus while the Hubble images taken on 31 Oct. revealed an outburst of dust just west of the nucleus.
The Hubble images however do not show any large fragments near the nucleus of Comet Holmes, unlike the case of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3). In the spring of 2006 Hubble observations revealed a multitude of "mini-comets" ejected by SW3 after the comet increased dramatically in brightness. Ground-based images of Comet Holmes show a large, spherically symmetrical cloud of dust that is offset from the nucleus, suggesting that a large fragment broke off and subsequently disintegrated into tiny dust particles after moving away from the main nucleus. Unfortunately, the huge amount of dust near the comet's nucleus and the relatively large distance from Earth (240 million kilometres, or 1.6 astronomical units for Holmes versus 15 million kilometres, 0.1 astronomical units for SW3), conspire to make detecting fragments near Holmes nearly impossible right now, unless the fragments are nearly as large as the nucleus itself.
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
The composite colour image at left, taken Nov. 1 by the amateur astronomer Alan Dyer, shows the complex structure of the entire coma, consisting of concentric shells of dust and a faint tail emanating from the comet's right side.
The nucleus - the small solid body that is the source of the comet's activity - is still swaddled in bright dust, even 12 days after the spectacular outburst. "Most of what Hubble sees is sunlight scattered from microscopic particles," explained Hal Weaver of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory of Laurel, Maryland in the USA, who led the Hubble investigation. "But we may finally be starting to detect the emergence of the nucleus itself in this final Hubble image."
Hubble first observed Comet 17P/Holmes on June 15, 1999, when there was virtually no dusty shroud around the nucleus. Although Hubble cannot resolve the nucleus, astronomers inferred its size by measuring its brightness. Astronomers deduced that the nucleus's diameter was approximately 3.4 kilometres, about the distance between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre glass pyramid in Paris. They hope to use the new Hubble images to determine the size of the comet's nucleus to see how much of it was blasted away during the outburst.
Hubble's two earlier snapshots of Comet Holmes also showed some interesting features. On 29 Oct. the telescope spied three "spurs" of dust emanating from the nucleus while the Hubble images taken on 31 Oct. revealed an outburst of dust just west of the nucleus.
The Hubble images however do not show any large fragments near the nucleus of Comet Holmes, unlike the case of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3). In the spring of 2006 Hubble observations revealed a multitude of "mini-comets" ejected by SW3 after the comet increased dramatically in brightness. Ground-based images of Comet Holmes show a large, spherically symmetrical cloud of dust that is offset from the nucleus, suggesting that a large fragment broke off and subsequently disintegrated into tiny dust particles after moving away from the main nucleus. Unfortunately, the huge amount of dust near the comet's nucleus and the relatively large distance from Earth (240 million kilometres, or 1.6 astronomical units for Holmes versus 15 million kilometres, 0.1 astronomical units for SW3), conspire to make detecting fragments near Holmes nearly impossible right now, unless the fragments are nearly as large as the nucleus itself.
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope Current Events and Hubble Space Telescope News RSSGoddard team develops new carriers for space station
In a partnership that exemplifies One NASA, engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. teamed up with engineers at NASA's Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers to design, build, and test five new ExPRESS Logistics Carriers, or ELCs, which will be delivered to the International Space Station.
'Dropouts' pinpoint earliest galaxies
Astronomers, conducting the broadest survey to date of galaxies from about 800 million years after the Big Bang, have found 22 early galaxies and confirmed the age of one by its characteristic hydrogen signature at 787 million years post Big Bang.
Opening up a colorful cosmic jewel box
Star clusters are among the most visually alluring and astrophysically fascinating objects in the sky. One of the most spectacular nestles deep in the southern skies near the Southern Cross in the constellation of Crux.
Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to model origins of the unseen universe
Understanding dark energy is the number one issue in explaining the universe, according to Salman Habib, of the Laboratory's Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology group.
Rebirth of an icon: Hubble's first images since Servicing Mission 4
Astronomers today declared the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope a fully rejuvenated observatory ready for a new decade of exploration, with the release of observations from four of its six operating science instruments.
Astronomers discover stars in early galaxies had a need for speed
A team of astronomers has measured the motions of stars in a very distant galaxy for the first time and discovered they are whizzing around at astonishingly high speeds-about one million miles per hour, or twice the speed at which the Sun circles our own Milky Way galaxy.
Dark Energy From the Ground Up: Make Way for BigBOSS
Several ways have been proposed to examine dark energy, in hopes of finding out just what it is. One of them, "supernovae" for short, certainly works: it's how dark energy was discovered in the first place. Other independent techniques, such as weak gravitational lensing and baryon acoustic oscillation, also promise great power but are as yet unproven.
Hubble captures rare Jupiter collision
The checkout and calibration of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has been interrupted to aim the recently refurbished observatory at a new expanding spot on the giant planet Jupiter.
NASA celebrates Chandra X-Ray Observatory's 10th anniversary
Ten years ago, on July 23, 1999, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched aboard the space shuttle Columbia and deployed into orbit.
Jupiter pummeled, leaving bruise the size of the Pacific Ocean
Something slammed into Jupiter in the last few days, creating a dark bruise about the size of the Pacific Ocean.
More Hubble Space Telescope Current Events and Hubble Space Telescope News Articles
 |
Hubble: Imaging Space and Time by David Devorkin (Author), Robert Smith (Author) In the spirit of National Geographic’s top-selling Orbit, this large-format, full-color volume stands alone in revealing more than 200 of the most spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope during its lifetime, to the very eve of the 2008 final shuttle mission to the telescope. Written by two of the world’s foremost authorities on space history, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time illuminates the solar system’s workings, the expansion of the universe, the birth and death of stars, the formation of planetary nebulae, the dynamics of galaxies, and the mysterious force known as "dark energy." The potential impact of this book cannot be overstressed: The 2008 servicing mission to install new high-powered scientific instruments is especially high profile because the... |
 |
The Visible Universe: A Visual Journey Through Space and Back in Time. NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Starring: Super Nova Directed By: David DeMarcos Also With: David DeMarcos (Producer) NTSC North American Format Updated 2009 - Includes:
The Visible Universe presents a visual journey through space and back in time using the greatest optical instruments ever created in the history of man. The Hubble Space Telescope, SOHO, Trace, Spitzer, and other instruments have afforded us an insight to the farthest reaches of the Cosmos. Carl Sagan The producer hopes that this progressive music video will entertain and inspire our children to further... |
 |
#S Hubble space telescope Furuta Choco Egg Astronaut/NASA Series Miniature Model by Furuta Japan One brand new Furuta Choco Egg Series Astronaut Vol. 1 No. S Hubble space telescope - this is the rare secret item for this series. This miniature model is fully painted with excellent details. Please note that this miniature plastic model requires some simple assembly and it contains small parts which are not suitable for small children (choking hazard!). Also, this item will be shipped with its original capsule in unassembled condition with its corresponding instruction sheet. Outer box and chocolate will not be included. |
 |
Hubble Space Telescope 2010 Standard Wall Calendar 12 X 12 by 2010 Wyman Publishing Hubble Space Telescope Wall Calendar: This calendar is filled with stunning images of the universe that surrounds us, captured by the marvelous Hubble Telescope. This is a visual treat and is perfect for those studying space, novice or advanced, and all those who simply appreciate the beauty of the heavens above us. Each month includes a small descriptor of the image featured. |
 |
The Universe in a Mirror: The Saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Visionaries Who Built It by Robert Zimmerman (Author) The Hubble Space Telescope has produced the most stunning images of the cosmos humanity has ever seen. It has transformed our understanding of the universe around us, revealing new information about its age and evolution, the life cycle of stars, and the very existence of black holes, among other startling discoveries. The Universe in a Mirror tells the story of this telescope and the visionaries responsible for its extraordinary accomplishments. Robert Zimmerman takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever sent into space. After World War II, astronomer Lyman Spitzer and a handful of scientists waged a fifty-year struggle to build the first space telescope capable of seeing beyond Earth's atmospheric veil. Zimmerman shows how many of... |
 |
The Visible Universe: A Visual Journey Through Space and Back in Time. NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Directed By: David Alexander DeMarcos Also With: Waterline Productions (Producer) |
 |
The Hubble Space Telescope - Poster (Size: 24" x 36") by Posterstoponline |
 |
Space Views From the Hubble Telescope 2010 Wall Calendar Publisher: Pomegranate by Hubble Telescope 2010 Space from the Hubble Telescope 2010 Wall Calendar : Not since Galileo turned his telescope toward the heavens in 1610 has any event so changed our understanding of the universe as the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope. Orbiting 600 kilometers (375 miles) above Earth, Hubble provides stunning views of the universe that cannot be made using ground-based telescopes or other satellites. |
![Hubble Space Telescope: Rescue In Space [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21RTZCV1JSL._SL160_.jpg) |
Hubble Space Telescope: Rescue In Space [VHS] Directed By: Russ Finley Journey into space with the Astronauts on one of the most important and spectacular Space Shuttle Missions ever - the critical mission to repair the Space Telescope. Plus, see the first dramatically improved deep space images from Hubble's newly repaired cameras. 50 minutes. |
 |
Deep Space: Featuring Hubble Space Telescope Images (Interactive PC/Mac CD-ROM) by Finley-Holiday Film Corp. Explore the deepest reaches of the universe with this incredible interactive CD. Filled with hundreds of awesome images and amazing facts, this multimedia program lets you explore the last frontier with the very best images from the Hubble Space Telescope. High Resolution, High Quality Color Images: This CD features a complete collection of Hubble images from the Space Telescope Science Institute's, plus 32 superb earth-based astronomical photographs. As an added bonus get the complete story of the Space Telescope's spectacular servicing missions and 16 exciting planet views. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |