Deep Impact space collision reveals comets to be fluffy balls of powder

The Guardian ^ | 9/7/2005 | Ian Sample, science correspondent

[GSlob]

Now the only question is, "are these puffs burps or farts".
According to Aristotle ("Problemata", book 33, problem 9, IIRC), burps and farts are the same thing, but proceeding through different outlets.

[Drammach]

The article indicates that the Deep Impact results show the density is 20 to 25% of the expected value. That doesn't seem to add up.

Seriously, this is hard to answer ( for me. I'm no scientist )

The "mass" was known, and the "composition" was generally known. ( I mean, we had a pretty good idea it was icy matter, etc.. )
We knew that because of the orbit, and apparent size, etc.. strictly trajectory and speed and gravity..
However:
We weren't sure of the "properties" of that mass..
Was there a solid core with gas pockets?
Was the comet made up of "ice boulders" ?
Was it all a big "snowball" ?

Apparently, it was a big, fluffy "snowball"..

Learn more at the Deep Impact Site

[Drammach]

they're saying that because this comet appears to be a "fluffy ball of powder," then all comets must be fluffy balls of powder.

My premise exactly.. ( #16 )
Evidence:
The "string of pearls" comet that hit Jupiter...
Shoemaker-Levy 9..

It "appeared" to be made up of a group of icy boulders loosely held together by gravity..
When it approached too close to Jupiter, it broke apart, and on it's return orbit crashed into the planet with spectacular results..

I would argue that we have evidence of more than one way to make a comet..

[Bittersweetmd]

Isn't it something how often scientist prove to be way off track?

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic is from September 6, 2005.

Comet Research Pioneer Whipple Dies
AP on Yahoo | 8/31/04 | AP
Posted on 08/31/2004 5:19:39 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

Fred L. Whipple, a pioneer in astronomy who proposed the "dirty snowball" theory for the substance of comets, has died. He was 97... proposed the theory in 1950, saying that comets consisted of ice with some rock mixed in, rather than sand held together by gravity, as was widely believed. Whipple's theory was an attempt to explain why some comets seemed to arrive at destinations earlier or later than predicted... believed that as a comet approached the sun, its light vaporized ice in the comet's nucleus. The jets of particles that resulted acted like a rocket engine that either slowed or accelerated the comet... also theorized that the glowing comet tails contained particles that originated from frozen reservoirs in comet nuclei.

Thanks Swordmaker. Just adding, not pinging.

• NASA Comet Chaser Finds 'Footprints' 2BN Miles Away (Stardust Mission)
• Strange comet unlike anything known
• The Jets of Comet Wild 2
• Deep Impact collision ejected the stuff of life
• Composition of a Comet Poses a Puzzle for Scientists

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