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Comet's Collision with the Sun Captured
Space.com ^ | 05/24/2010 | Denise Chow

Posted on 05/25/2010 10:54:54 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan

MIAMI – A comet plunging into the sun has been captured in 3-D as it hurtled along its kamikaze path for the first time, solar physicists announced Monday.

"We believe this is the first time a comet has been tracked in 3-D space this low down in the solar corona," said solar physicist Claire Raftery, a post-doctoral fellow at UC Berkeley.

Four post-doctoral researchers at UC Berkeley's Space Science's Laboratory used instruments aboard NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft to track the so-called sun-grazing comet as it approached the sun. They were able to estimate an approximate time and place of impact.

NASA's STEREO mission, which launched in 2006, is actually made up of twin spacecraft that orbit the sun, one ahead of the Earth and one behind it, and provide stereo views of the sun.

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: catastrophism; comet
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Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
1 posted on 05/25/2010 10:54:55 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
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To: Frenchtown Dan
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Pedal to the metal, and bumpers to rust...

2 posted on 05/25/2010 10:57:19 AM PDT by MortMan (I'm just an injet printer in a holographic world...)
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To: Frenchtown Dan
Flight of Icarus


3 posted on 05/25/2010 11:00:23 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Throw the bums out in 2010.)
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To: MortMan

This is the story of Johnny Spud.
It's better to burn out, than to turn to mud.

4 posted on 05/25/2010 11:02:20 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Throw the bums out in 2010.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Can’t view the attachment, but I also thought of Icarus.


5 posted on 05/25/2010 11:03:25 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
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To: Frenchtown Dan
I remember Presidential Candidate Pat Paulson had a proposal to blow up the sun as part of his energy policy .


6 posted on 05/25/2010 11:04:00 AM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know F Trp 8th Cav)
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To: Frenchtown Dan

“as it hurtled along its kamikaze path for the first time,”

...sooooo, it screwed up the first time it tried to commit stellar suicide and had to try again? Ah, journalism.

Colonel, USAFR


7 posted on 05/25/2010 11:04:35 AM PDT by jagusafr (Don't make deals with pirates)
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To: Frenchtown Dan

http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=SP_100524_KamikazeComets


8 posted on 05/25/2010 11:04:52 AM PDT by houeto (Get drinking water from your ditch - http://www.junglebucket.com/Jungle-Bucket-1.htm)
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To: Frenchtown Dan

Ummmm... I immediately thought to myself, this is bunk. Aint no way a comet would get anywhere near the sun let alone impact it.

Sure enough, that comet never even came close befor it disintegrated...

Great article title!!


9 posted on 05/25/2010 11:12:11 AM PDT by sit-rep
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To: sit-rep
Comet , shown here shortly before disintegration .


10 posted on 05/25/2010 11:16:48 AM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know F Trp 8th Cav)
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To: jagusafr

How dare you suggest that people being paid to write should actually exhibit some degree of skill in doing so! How insensitive! [You just beat me to the punch.] ;-)


11 posted on 05/25/2010 11:17:32 AM PDT by Pecos
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To: Frenchtown Dan

“...as it hurtled along its kamikaze path for the first time...”

Are there examples of pursuing a kamikaze path for a second time....?


12 posted on 05/25/2010 11:25:16 AM PDT by G Larry (Vote for the most CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE THAT CAN WIN!)
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To: sit-rep

Yeah, it vaporized way before contact. But it’s the first photo of such an event, I believe.


13 posted on 05/25/2010 11:39:06 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
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To: kbennkc

Ha! I remember Paulson. His half-baked ideas are as intelligent as zerobama’s, or alwhore.

Wonder if he’s still alive.


14 posted on 05/25/2010 11:42:13 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
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To: kbennkc

lol...


15 posted on 05/25/2010 11:53:17 AM PDT by sit-rep
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To: Frenchtown Dan

I’ll go along with that...


16 posted on 05/25/2010 11:53:45 AM PDT by sit-rep
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To: Frenchtown Dan
The comet's black box recorder captured the comet's last words: "Hey, watch this..."


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

17 posted on 05/25/2010 12:10:13 PM PDT by The Comedian (Evil can only succeed if good men don't point at it and laugh.)
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To: The Comedian

Yeah.

“Hey watch this, I’m only gonna do it once, so pay attention”.


18 posted on 05/25/2010 12:20:36 PM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
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To: G Larry

How can a big ball of ice commit suicide. Are we saying there is intelligence in the big ball of ice?

Some day, all of the computers might turn off. And then we will have to rely on the written word.

We are so screwed.


19 posted on 05/25/2010 12:25:33 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (This nation, of the people, by the people, and for the people has perished from the land.)
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To: kbennkc

...want...


20 posted on 05/25/2010 4:15:00 PM PDT by ExGeeEye (Palin/Undecided 2012...make that Palin/Whoever She Picks...)
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