![]() In fact, the new radar observations have revealed Comet 45P/HMP to be somewhat larger than previously estimated. “We gain roughly the same amount of knowledge from a radar observation as a spacecraft flyby of the same object, but at considerably less cost.” Patrick Taylor, USRA Scientist and Group Lead for Planetary Radar at Arecibo. “The Arecibo Observatory planetary radar system can pierce through the comet’s coma and allows us to study the surface properties, size, shape, rotation, and geology of the comet nucleus”, said Dr. ![]() ![]() Studying the comet with radar not only very precisely determines its orbit, allowing scientists to better predict its location in the future, but also gives a glimpse of the typically unseen part, the comet’s nucleus, which is usually hidden behind the cloud of gas and dust that makes up the its coma and tail. “Studying these objects gives us an idea of how the outer reaches of our Solar System formed and evolved over time.” Ellen Howell, Scientist at LPL and the leader of the observing campaign at Arecibo. “Comets are remnants of the planet forming process and are part of a group of objects made of water ice and rocky material that formed beyond Neptune”, noted Dr. Scientists from the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) at Arecibo Observatory have been studying the comet with radar to better understand its solid nucleus and the dusty coma that surrounds it. Though not visible to the naked eye or even with binoculars, the green-tailed Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova (HMP) did not escape the gaze of the world-renowned Arecibo Observatory. Gif composed of thirteen delay-Doppler images of Comet 45P/HMP after 2 hours of observation.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |