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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Comet Stepping Stones
Title
Comet Stepping Stones
Title
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Description:
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This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows three of the many fragments making up Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachm ann 3. The infrared picture also provides the best look yet at the crumbling comet's trail of debris, seen here as a bridge connecting the larger fragments.
The comet circles around our sun every 5.4 years. In 1995, it splintered apart into four pieces, labeled A through D, with C being the biggest. Since then, the comet has continued to fracture into dozens of additional pieces. This image is centered about midway between fragments C and B; fragment G can be seen in the upper right corner.
The comet's trail is made of dust, pebbles and rocks left in the comet's wake during its numerous journeys around the sun. Such debris can become the stuff of spectacular meteor showers on Earth.
This image was taken on April 1, 2006, by Spitzer's multi-band imaging photometer using the 24-micron wavelength channel.
Description
This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows three of the many fragments making up Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachm ann 3. The infrared picture also provides the best look yet at the crumbling comet's trail of debris, seen here as a bridge connecting the larger fragments.
The comet circles around our sun every 5.4 years. In 1995, it splintered apart into four pieces, labeled A through D, with C being the biggest. Since then, the comet has continued to fracture into dozens of additional pieces. This image is centered about midway between fragments C and B; fragment G can be seen in the upper right corner.
The comet's trail is made of dust, pebbles and rocks left in the comet's wake during its numerous journeys around the sun. Such debris can become the stuff of spectacular meteor showers on Earth.
This image was taken on April 1, 2006, by Spitzer's multi-band imaging photometer using the 24-micron wavelength channel.
Description
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Release Date:
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2006/05/05
Release_Date
2006/05/05
Release Date
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/W. Reach (SSC)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/W. Reach (SSC)
Release Credit
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Object name:
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Comet Schwassman-Wachmann 3
Object_name
Comet Schwassman-Wachmann 3
Object name
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Object name:
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Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachm ann 3
Object_name
Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachm ann 3
Object name
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Object type:
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Comet
Object_type
Comet
Object type
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Wavelength:
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24 microns
Wavelength
24 microns
Wavelength
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Observers:
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William Reach (Spitzer Science Center)
Michael Kelley (University of Minnesota)
Mark Sykes (Planetary Science Institute)
Carey Lisse (Applied Physics Laboratory/Johns Hopkins University)
Masateru Ishiguro (Seoul National University/Korea)
Observers
William Reach (Spitzer Science Center)
Michael Kelley (University of Minnesota)
Mark Sykes (Planetary Science Institute)
Carey Lisse (Applied Physics Laboratory/Johns Hopkins University)
Masateru Ishiguro (Seoul National University/Korea)
Observers
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Instrument:
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MIPS
Instrument
MIPS
Instrument
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Exposure Date:
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2006/04/01
Exposure_Date
2006/04/01
Exposure Date
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Exposure Time:
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3 hours
Exposure_Time
3 hours
Exposure Time
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Related links:
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Related_links
Related links
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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MIPS
facet_what
MIPS
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Multi-band Imaging Photometer
facet_what
Multi-band Imaging Photometer
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Minnesota
facet_where
Minnesota
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Korea
facet_where
Korea
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Seoul
facet_where
Seoul
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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Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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1995
facet_when
1995
facet_when
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facet_when:
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April 1, 2006
facet_when
April 1, 2006
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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2006
facet_when_year
2006
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1995
facet_when_year
1995
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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sig06-011
Image_#
sig06-011
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-sig06-011
UID
SPD-SPITZ-sig06-011
UID
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