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Giotto spacecraft at Halleys Comet
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Giotto spacecraft at Halleys Comet
Giotto spacecraft at Halleys Comet. Artwork of the European Space Agencys (ESA) Giotto probe as it approached Comet Halley in 1986. It passed the comet at a distance of 600 kilometres and beamed back pictures and scientific data. The probe was just under 2 metres long and weighed just under a tonne. It was launched in July 1985. Its closest approach was on 13 March 1986. Halleys Comet is a short-term comet, orbiting the Sun every 76 years. Edmund Halley (1656-1742) discovered this regular behaviour. Comets are bodies of ice and dust from the outer solar system. The ice boils near the Sun to form a long bright tail in the solar wind
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Media ID 6446181
© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Agency Coma Comet Halley Cometary Cosmology Exploration Exploring Probe Solar System Space Craft Space Flight Tail Universe Unmanned Giotto
EDITORS COMMENTS
This artwork showcases the Giotto spacecraft, a remarkable creation by the European Space Agency (ESA), as it embarked on its extraordinary journey to study Halley's Comet in 1986. The Giotto probe ventured within a mere 600 kilometers of the comet, capturing breathtaking images and gathering invaluable scientific data during this historic encounter. Weighing just under a tonne and measuring less than 2 meters long, this technological marvel was launched in July 1985 with the sole purpose of unraveling the mysteries surrounding Halleys Comet. Halley's Comet, named after Edmund Halley who discovered its predictable orbit, is a short-term celestial visitor that graces our skies once every 76 years. Composed of ice and dust from the outer reaches of our solar system, comets like Halley's put on mesmerizing displays as their icy cores vaporize near the Sun, creating magnificent tails that stretch across vast distances. This awe-inspiring illustration not only highlights humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge through space exploration but also serves as a testament to our insatiable curiosity about the universe we inhabit. As we continue to push boundaries and venture into uncharted territories beyond Earth's atmosphere, endeavors such as Giotto remind us of our boundless potential for discovery and innovation in unlocking the secrets held within our cosmic neighborhood.
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