Stardust's best images of Wild 2

Filed under pretty pictures, comets, comet Wild 2, Stardust

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Stardust snapped these six photos of Wild 2 during its closest approach to the small comet on January 2, 2004. It flew within 236 kilometers (147 miles) of Wild 2 at a speed of 6.1 kilometers per second (14,000 miles per hour). These images were taken 44, 24, and 4 seconds before and 16, 36, and 56 seconds after closest approach.

NASA / JPL

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Contact us to request publication permission from the copyright holder. Original image data dated on or about January 2, 2004