Hyperactive Hartley 2 has a split history
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 - 12:00
in Astronomy & Space
The latest analysis of data from NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft shows that comet 103P/Hartley 2 is hyperactive in terms of the material it spews out, compared to the other comets observed up close to date. The comet also shows surprising diversity - ice on the comets sunlit surface is found in patches that are isolated from areas of dust. In addition, one lobe of the dog-bone shaped comet may have lost much more of the primordial material from the formation of the comet than the other, suggesting that Hartley 2 was originally two comets that came together in a gentle collision. Mike AHearn and Lori Feaga will be presenting their findings at the EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2011 in Nantes, France.