Photos: Snowy dirtball

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  • Tempel 1

    Tempel 1

    This map of comet Tempel 1 was made by scaling images taken by the NASA probe Deep Impact to about 5 yards per pixel. Arrows a and b point to large, smooth regions and the impact site is indicated by the third large arrow. NASA scientists say the comet's surface is weaker than a snowbank. The probe collided with Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Tempel 1

    Tempel 1

    A closer look at Tempel 1 comes from the probe's impactor targeting sensor.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 67 seconds after impact

    67 seconds after impact

    A bright splash is seen 67 seconds after the Deep Impact probe hit the surface of Tempel 1.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • false-color image

    false-color image

    This false-color image shows comet Tempel 1 about 50 minutes after Deep Impact's probe smashed into its surface. The colors represent brightness, with white indicating the brightest materials and black showing the faintest materials. This brightness is a measure of reflected sunlight.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • looking back

    looking back

    This is what Deep Impact's flyby spacecraft saw 50 minutes after its probe collided with Comet Tempel 1.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • deep impact

    deep impact

    These images depict the development of the plume when Deep Impact's impactor collided with comet Tempel 1. The images were spaced 0.84 seconds apart. The red arrows highlight shadows.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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NASA reveals discoveries made following the July 4 collision between its Deep Impact probe and comet Tempel 1.

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Tempel 1

This map of comet Tempel 1 was made by scaling images taken by the NASA probe Deep Impact to about 5 yards per pixel. Arrows a and b point to large, smooth regions and the impact site is indicated by the third large arrow. NASA scientists say the comet's surface is weaker than a snowbank. The probe collided with Tempel 1 on July 4, 2005.

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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