[meteorite-list] DEEP IMPACT HITS! WITH TEXT

From: Sterling K. Webb <kelly_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Jul 4 02:20:51 2005
Message-ID: <42C8D522.DC189AF4_at_bhil.com>

SEE
<http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050704/BREAKINGNEWS/50703001>

DONE GOOD!


2:15 a.m. EDT: Ecstatic

"The science team is ecstatic, because not a one of them can believe
they're being paid to have this much fun," JPL's Don Yeomans said.
Images coming back show nice detail of the surface of the comet, which
looks kind of like a cratered potato. More impact pictures should be
released soon.

2:06 a.m. EDT: Shield mode

The flyby spacecraft has entered shield mode, turning to protect itself
from its closest pass by the comet's nucleus, where it will be bombarded
by the heaviest stream of dust from the comet. More images of pre- and
post-impact are coming to Earth.

2:01 a.m. EDT: Happy crew

"That image says it all. We hit it just exactly where we wanted it to,"
said JPL's Don Yeomans. "...And we thought it was going to be subtle."

1:58 a.m. EDT: Wow!

The team is cheering anew at an image posted on its viewing screen: the
comet clearly being hit by the impactor! The flyby spacecraft has sent
back the image at rapid speed, showing a bright glow at the impact point
and what looks like a cone of dust spewing out.

1:57 a.m: EDT: More peanuts, please

"We've got a confirmation," the cheering team has just been told after a
call for more good-luck peanuts. The impactor smacked into Comet Tempel
1.

1:55 a.m. EDT: Up-close and personal

Big circular features are appearing in the final images from the
impactor, which may have been hit by dust particles on the way in. The
flyby spacecraft is shooting the encounter and should be transmitting
pictures to Earth. It takes more than seven minutes for pictures to
arrive.

1:52 a.m. EDT: Last image

The team is receiving an image just prior to impact, on the southern end
of the comet's nucleus. What appears to be craters are visible. The
camera is functioning well.



Sterling K. Webb
Received on Mon 04 Jul 2005 02:20:18 AM PDT