Images: Streaking home with piece of comet's tail
by ZDNet Author | July 19, 2006 11:36am PDT | Image 1 of 9
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Stardust, NASA's comet-chasing space probe, is expected to make a showy return to Earth to complete its six-year, 2.88-billion mile journey. The craft was launched in 1999 and collected particles from the tail of comet Wild 2 in January 2004, when it approached within 147 miles of its body. When Stardust's comet dust-filled capsule returns to Earth, at about 3 a.m. MST Jan. 15, 2006, it will be visible as a point of light to the naked eye as it streaks across Nevada and Utah to its deserted landing site at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range.
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