"1000-Percent Success" - Images Of Comet Tempel 1

Washington (AP) - Astronomers in luck: After the spectacular flyby of NASA's space probe "Stardust" with comet Tempel 1, astronomers are thrilled.
"We have achieved all our goals", Joe Veverka, professor at Cornell University was pleased and head of the mission on Tuesday (local time). He spoke of a "1000-percent success." After all, the 72 high-resolution images that were taken by the probe at the meeting provided, the scientists already initial findings.

"Stardust" is a temple had approached on Tuesday with a speed of 10.9 kilometers per second up to 178 kilometers. Researchers have now plenty of material thanks to the photos to find out what happens to a comet after it has circled around the sun.

The new images will be compared with recordings from the year 2005. At that time, the probe 'Deep Impact' the heavenly body to pay an official visit, fired a projectile at the comet and ripped a crater so. "This is exciting because we had the first opportunity, attend twice a comet," said NASA project manager Tim Larson.

In the new images of this crater is seen with a diameter of 150 meters for the first time. The images show that the craters are composed of relatively soft material, since much of the time airborne dust and rocks slid back into the pit. "The comet has healed some of whom say," said NASA astronomer Pete Schultz.

The new photos also show parts of the comet, which were not photographed in the previous mission. Besides the images, the spacecraft collected information on the composition and quantity of dust particles that are secreted by the temple first The astronomers hope to gain information such as the celestial body is formed millions of years.

The visit to the comet Tempel 1 was the last "Stardust" mission. Since 1999 she has been traveling and now has hardly any fuel. Previously, the probe had already visited the Anne Frank and comet Wild 2.