The Deep Impact Impact onto Tempel 1 as witnessed by XMM-Newton

Filed under pretty pictures, comets, comet Tempel 1, Deep Impact, astronomy and astrophysics spacecraft

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The Deep Impact Impact onto Tempel 1 as witnessed by XMM-Newton

This view is from ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft. Two channels were used, blue, and ultraviolet. The top three images were taken through the blue channel and show the expansion of the post-impact cloud surrounding the comet. The bottom three images were taken through the ultraviolet channel, in a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum that is sensitive to the presence of the hydroxyl ion, OH-, which is the first direct decay product of water.

ESA/MSSL/Optical Monitor team. Image by Charo Gonzales and Pedro Rodriguez, ESAC (Spain)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Contact us to request publication permission from the copyright holder. Original image data dated on or about July 4, 2005