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Collection:
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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
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Title:
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The Crater Chain
Title
The Crater Chain
Title
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Explanation:
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NASA's robot spaceprobe Voyager 1 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…], took this closeup image of the surface of Jupiter's crater scarred moon Callisto in 1979. A mysterious chain of craters is seen to extend diagonally across the image (upper left to lower right). What could cause the craters to line up in such a regular fashion? Scientists were at a loss to explain this crater chain along with several other chain like features observed on Callisto's surface. Fifteen years later, with the discovery of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 [ http://newproducts.…], also known as the "string of pearls" comet, [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] the mystery was solved. Comets whose orbits stray too close to Jupiter are torn apart by the strong gravity. When the individual pieces, strung out along the orbital path of the comet hit an object like Callisto, the sequence of impacts produces a crater chain. For more information about the picture see the Split Comet Studies Page. [ http://cass.jsc.nas…]
Explanation
NASA's robot spaceprobe Voyager 1 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…], took this closeup image of the surface of Jupiter's crater scarred moon Callisto in 1979. A mysterious chain of craters is seen to extend diagonally across the image (upper left to lower right). What could cause the craters to line up in such a regular fashion? Scientists were at a loss to explain this crater chain along with several other chain like features observed on Callisto's surface. Fifteen years later, with the discovery of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 [ http://newproducts.…], also known as the "string of pearls" comet, [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] the mystery was solved. Comets whose orbits stray too close to Jupiter are torn apart by the strong gravity. When the individual pieces, strung out along the orbital path of the comet hit an object like Callisto, the sequence of impacts produces a crater chain. For more information about the picture see the Split Comet Studies Page. [ http://cass.jsc.nas…] Explanation
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Credit and Copyright:
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NASA, Voyager Team
Credit_and_Copyright
NASA, Voyager Team
Credit and Copyright
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facet_when:
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1979
facet_when
1979
facet_when
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facet_where:
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Jupiter
facet_where
Jupiter
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Callisto
facet_where
Callisto
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Johnson Space Center (JSC)
facet_where
Johnson Space Center (JSC)
facet_where
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facet_what:
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Voyager
facet_what
Voyager
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Crater
facet_what
Crater
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Jupiter
facet_what
Jupiter
facet_what
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facet_what:
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COMETS
facet_what
COMETS
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Voyager 1
facet_what
Voyager 1
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Callisto
facet_what
Callisto
facet_what
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facet_what:
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crater
facet_what
crater
facet_what
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facet_when_year:
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1979
facet_when_year
1979
facet_when_year
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-APOD-ap950715
UID
SPD-APOD-ap950715
UID
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