Deep Impact/EPOXI

3488 · Dec 14, 2007

Update. Comet Hartley 2 is now the target, as 85P/Boethin appears to have disintegrated & Spitzer Space Telescope as well as other observatories failed to find it. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 14, 2007

Nice catch Andrew, Thanx. It's great to have dozens of eyes and minds watching "our" world for news. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · Dec 16, 2007

Hi MeteorWayne, You're very welcome. Here's the orbit of Comet 103P/ Hartley 2, Deep Impact's new target. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

holmec · Dec 16, 2007

Its funny that they call the mission Epoxi. I guess DUCT TAPE would be too crude. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

bdewoody · Dec 18, 2007

Why does a study cost $500,000? Several reasons but one is the fact that those who work on the study need to get paid. If it's 10 people thats only 50,000 per person including overhead costs. I work for a private company and they charge 2.5 times my pay for my time on a project, so divide 50,000 by 2.5 and you get 20,000/person which at engineers salaries is maybe 4 months pay. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Bob DeWoody </div>

3488 · Jan 4, 2008

Great news. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> A few nice Moon images from Deep Impact / EPOXI. Cameras are working very well. Moon image from recent Earth - Moon encounter. Moon further Deep Impact images. Another Deep Impact Moon image here. Saturday 29th December 2007 Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

comga · Jan 14, 2008

This link originally showed a "quick and dirty" sharpened image, for which we still owe thanks to Dennis Wellnitz of the University of Maryland. However, the link has been updated with an even better version.

comga · Feb 1, 2008

EPOCh images are being taken and downloaded.

3488 · Feb 1, 2008

Here's one: NGC 2707 in Cygnus from Deep Impact HRI IR. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

comga · Feb 3, 2008

What are we looking at in this image? The spectrum seems to start with a bright line around the center of the 1.05 to 4.8 micron range, and then continue on with perhaps one or two lines. If this image is the entire detector width that line is at around 1.88 microns, which is just the wavelength of the inset image. The next line is at around 3.19 microns, and another possibly at around 3.91 microns. On the right side of the image, the top and bottom areas are black. This is hard to understand, as the center third of the slit is covered to cut out the long wavelengths. You can see this in published papers. This seems backwards, as the center should be dark, not the top and bottom. Any thoughts?

3488 · Jun 2, 2008

How's this?Earth & Moon imaged by Deep Impact on: Thursday 29th May 2008.  <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/5/11/f5daf27b-5c70-48ee-ab18-0898f8c5e881.Medium.png" alt="" />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

MeteorWayne · Jun 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>How's this?Earth & Moon imaged by Deep Impact on: Thursday 29th May 2008. Andrew Brown. Posted by 3488</DIV> On June 19, Deep impact fired it's engines....The Epoxi flight team fired their spacecraft's engine today to refine its trajectory. This trajectory sets the stage for an encounter with comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4, 2010. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

Philotas · Jun 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>On June 19, Deep impact fired it's engines....The Epoxi flight team fired their spacecraft's engine today to refine its trajectory. This trajectory sets the stage for an encounter with comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4, 2010. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> 4th November? I thought it was October 10th. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Jun 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>4th November? I thought it was October 10th. Posted by Philotas</DIV> I don't know what it was before, I just posted what Friday's release said. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · Jun 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I don't know what it was before, I just posted what Friday's release said. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>Hi Wayne, yes that is what I see also. I wonder if the slight delay was due to a safing event a little while ago, I am sure a minor TCM did not occur because of it, but another one later on did put Deep Impact back on target, but arriving a little later.Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

MeteorWayne · Jun 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Wayne, yes that is what I see also. I wonder if the slight delay was due to a safing event a little while ago, I am sure a minor TCM did not occur because of it, but another one later on did put Deep Impact back on target, but arriving a little later.Andrew Brown.  Posted by 3488</DIV> Realistically, what's the difference between October and November in 2010. The idea is to use the propellant most efficiently to accomplish the mission goals. What's 2 weeks, 2 years from now?Who knows, other events could move it the other way just as far in the 4th dimension <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · Jul 18, 2008

Deep Impact spacecraft makes Earth / Moon movie from 50 million KM away using the HRI.Deep Impact Infrared movie of above. Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

Philotas · Jul 19, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Deep Impact spacecraft makes Earth / Moon movie from 50 million KM away using the HRI.Deep Impact Infrared movie of above. Andrew Brown.  Posted by 3488</DIV> A very cool movie that will definately pay off in eventual future studies of Earth-like planets. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Mar 1, 2009

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

{bump}

3488 · Sep 8, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

First image of Comet 103P/Hartley 2 from the Deep Impact Spacecraft.

Comet 103P/Hartley 2 was 60 million KM from Deep Impact.

Andrew Brown.

MeteorWayne · Sep 8, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

The comet should also become a fairly easy binocular object later this month. I'll cover that aspect in Ask the Astronomer.
MW

EarthlingX · Sep 23, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

http://www.planetary.org : Deep Impact approaching Hartley 2

By Emily Lakdawalla

Sep. 22, 2010 | 14:23 PDT | 21:23 UTC

The Deep Impact spacecraft team has released a third image from their approach to comet Hartley 2, and for me, three images is an invitation to make an animation! (To be honest, two is enough for me to want to make an animation, but I didn't have time last week.) So, here you go: comet Hartley 2 getting brighter against a background of stars as Deep Impact slowly closes in for its planned November 4 flyby encounter with the comet:

Deep Impact Hartley 2 approach animation
As Deep Impact approached for its encounter with Hartley 2 during September and October 2010, the science team released occasional optical navigation images of the comet against a background starfield. The images have been processed after release to make their brightness and contrast more uniform from frame to frame. Credit: NASA / JPL / UMD / animation by Emily Lakdawalla

As the Deep Impact team releases more images, I will continuously update this animation. So you can bookmark this blog entry if you want to come back and see it updated, though I'm sure I'll also repost it fresh from time to time. It will be really fun to watch the fuzz of Hartley 2's coma grow in size and begin to obscure all those background stars.

...

EarthlingX · Oct 6, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

http://www.physorg.com : Hubble probes comet 103P/Hartley 2 in preparation for DIXI/EPOXI flyby

October 6, 2010

Credit: NASA, ESA, and H. Weaver (The Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Lab)

(PhysOrg.com) -- Hubble Space Telescope observations of comet 103P/Hartley 2, taken on September 25, are helping in the planning for a November 4 flyby of the comet by the Deep Impact eXtended Investigation (DIXI) on NASA's EPOXI spacecraft.

Analysis of the new Hubble data shows that the nucleus has a diameter of approximately 0.93 miles (1.5 kilometers), which is consistent with previous estimates.

The comet is in a highly active state as it approaches the Sun. The Hubble data show that the coma is remarkably uniform, with no evidence for the types of outgassing jets seen from most "Jupiter Family" comets, of which Hartley 2 is a member.

...

Another image by WISE :

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov : WISE Captures Key Images of Comet Mission's Destination

October 05, 2010

This visitor from deep space, seen here by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, is comet Hartley 2 -- the destination for NASA's EPOXI mission. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, caught a glimpse of the comet that the agency's EPOXI mission will visit in November. The WISE observation will help the EPOXI team put together a large-scale picture of the comet, known as Hartley 2.

"WISE's infrared vision provides data that complement what EPOXI will see with its visible-light and near-infrared instruments," said James Bauer, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It's as if WISE can see an entire country, and EPOXI will visit its capital."

...

3488 · Oct 7, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

Thanks EarthlingX.

Cool update from both WISE & Hubble in support of the upcoming Deep Impact encounter.

I just checked to see if there was anything new from Deep Impact, but there isn't as yet.

It will be the smallest comet nucleus seen up close to date, only approx 1 KM wide. Will be interesting to see what it will look like & how much of it's surface will be active.

Andrew Brown.

EarthlingX · Oct 19, 2010

Re: Deep Impact. Results & Extended mission.

www.planetary.org : Deep Impact Hartley 2 encounter timeline

Oct. 18, 2010 | 16:27 PDT | 23:27 UTC

By Emily Lakdawalla

I have just posted a timeline for Deep Impact's encounter with Hartley 2; I put it in the evergreen part of this website rather than in the blog because some of the details are likely to change before November 4 and I don't want to perpetuate errors!

...

The team is releasing an image roughly once a week right now, with the latest one being from October 1. Things have not changed much since their first image release, except that they are now subframing the images rather tightly around the comet, to only 256 pixels, in order to make room for more frequent images. (That means that the images are at their maximum possible resolution, but the spacecraft is only recording the center 25% of the pixels on its detector, which reduces its data volume by a factor of 16.) I haven't updated my approach animation recently because the animation doesn't really provide sensible information, since each image is stretched using different contrast and brightness settings before release.

...

Deep Impact/EPOXI

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