Deep Impact onto Comet 9P/Tempel 1 July 3 rd, 2005 Images and show created at the Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO) by Thomas C. Smith, Director Imaging system parameters Meade 14 LX200 GPS SCT Meade 14 LX200 GPS SCT SBIG ST7XE CCD camera operating specifications as follows: SBIG ST7XE CCD camera operating specifications as follows: CCD Temperature -20C (-4F), Peltier cooling w/o H2O assist CCD Temperature -20C (-4F), Peltier cooling w/o H2O assist Filter Visual (V) Johnson System Filter Visual (V) Johnson System Exposure times 60 seconds Exposure times 60 seconds 510 X 765 pixels, blue enhanced, non anti-blooming 510 X 765 pixels, blue enhanced, non anti-blooming Autoguiding at 10 second intervals on a 14 th magnitude guide star Autoguiding at 10 second intervals on a 14 th magnitude guide star Meade f/3.3 focal reducer producing a field of view consisting of 1.33 arc-seconds/pixel Meade f/3.3 focal reducer producing a field of view consisting of 1.33 arc-seconds/pixel Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Observing and environmental conditions Altitude above the horizon at impact time (2252 PST): +26d 41 16 Altitude above the horizon at impact time (2252 PST): +26d 41 16 Local horizon altitude limit approx. 17d Local horizon altitude limit approx. 17d Magnitude: 9.7 (integrated value) Magnitude: 9.7 (integrated value) Air Mass: 2.23 Air Mass: 2.23 Air temperature: 56.75F Air temperature: 56.75F RH: 72.29% RH: 72.29% Dew point: 47.94F Dew point: 47.94F Skies: Clear with high moisture content Skies: Clear with high moisture content Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Mission information and scenario Space craft consists of two main components, and impactor and an observation and science platform Space craft consists of two main components, and impactor and an observation and science platform 24 hours before planned impact the impactor section, weighing approx. 820 pounds, is separated from the observation section and heads towards the comet nucleus at 23,000 miles per hour 24 hours before planned impact the impactor section, weighing approx. 820 pounds, is separated from the observation section and heads towards the comet nucleus at 23,000 miles per hour The observation section is slowed slightly and maneuvered on a course to take it on a near-miss path for a front-row-seat to the impact The observation section is slowed slightly and maneuvered on a course to take it on a near-miss path for a front-row-seat to the impact Impactor imaging continues and course trajectory adjustments are made for best impact site location, meanwhile the observation section is also imaging the impactor and comet nucleus at the impact site Impactor imaging continues and course trajectory adjustments are made for best impact site location, meanwhile the observation section is also imaging the impactor and comet nucleus at the impact site Impact occurs and the observation section records ejected material spectra and density for primordial solar system content Impact occurs and the observation section records ejected material spectra and density for primordial solar system content Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved What is expected from the ground Because the comet is located about 83 million miles from the Earth, the light-travel time is approximately 7.5 minutes which means we will see the events on Earth about 7-8 minutes after they actually occur Because the comet is located about 83 million miles from the Earth, the light-travel time is approximately 7.5 minutes which means we will see the events on Earth about 7-8 minutes after they actually occur A brightening of the comet should be visible due to a large release of surface material and internal ejected material streaming. This will continue for an unknown period of time A brightening of the comet should be visible due to a large release of surface material and internal ejected material streaming. This will continue for an unknown period of time Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Actual images from DRO Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Click image to run slideshow 9P/Tempel 1 Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved End of animation Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Impact Photometry Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Analysis at-a-glance In the preceding slide there is a couple of interesting things that can be seen with just a casual glance. The impact brightening seems to be leveling out at about 8.2 magnitude. The initial brightening occurs at approximately 05:52:21 UTC (22:52:21 PST) There is a secondary brightening at 06:01:00 (23:01:00 PST) that seems to correspond with the impactor hitting the underlying material and ejecting fresh, earlier material from the nucleus. Dark Ridge Observatory (DRO), all rights reserved Conclusion This was an interesting last minute project that was quite fun to do and again proved the extreme usefulness of simple amateur equipment. There is probably much more that can be learned from the data I have collected but we will certainly learn more about the primordial soup that formed our solar system from the wealth of data collected both in space and larger ground-based telescopes around the world. Stay tuned!