Comet - Deep Impact

the Bardguy · 07-04-2005, 12:29 AM

Did you guys see this? Wow! We watched it real time via the NASA channel on cable, and we tried to view it with a telescope, but we couldn't quite figure out where it was.

The pics that came back were unbelieveable. NASA shot a bullet the size of a washer into a piece of rock 1/2 the size of Manhattan. Both of these items were shooting at each other at between 10 and 20 times the speed of a bullet.

Absolutely incredible.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/main/index.html

Aerick · 07-04-2005, 07:16 AM

Interesting, but I thought NASA's site said the object that collided with the comet was the size of a coffee table.

SoccerPrime · 07-04-2005, 08:02 AM

My father in law works for NASA so we are always into space stuff around here.
I too thought it was very cool. I just hope we learn something from all the expense put into making this craft.
Also, I hope we didn't change the comets course, in a bad way. 🙁

DadOf8 · 07-04-2005, 08:54 AM

From what I understand, they're trying to see if comets contain the material that contains the origins of life, i.e. DNA. Earth has gone through periods where it has been heavily bombarded by comets and scientists think that this might be how life began. For those of you that believe in the bible, the bible does say that God created Adam from the dust, so if I reconcile my beliefs with science, I guess it's entirely possible.

the Bardguy · 07-04-2005, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerick

Interesting, but I thought NASA's site said the object that collided with the comet was the size of a coffee table.

When I re-read my post, I didn't say what kind of washer...it was of the clothes-washing variety, not the nuts and bolts variey.

I remember hearing the comparison on the JPL/NASA broadcast, and I imagine that the washer that they were thinking about and the coffee table that I've heard mentioned before are approx the same size.

Aerick · 07-04-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Bardguy

When I re-read my post, I didn't say what kind of washer...it was of the clothes-washing variety, not the nuts and bolts variey.

I remember hearing the comparison on the JPL/NASA broadcast, and I imagine that the washer that they were thinking about and the coffee table that I've heard mentioned before are approx the same size.

Ahhhh, a clothes washer! That makes more sense now.

Neil · 07-04-2005, 12:24 PM

Yeah, I was following the progress last night as well. I love this stuff. At $330,000,000 that's one expensive bullet. I'm looking forward to more images and for the data to be analyzed.

soccerman · 07-05-2005, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

At $330,000,000 that's one expensive bullet.

True, but as far as NASA projects go this one was on the cheap.