First XMM-Newton images of impact/XMM-Newton detects water on Tempel1 (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

4 July 2005

First XMM-Newton images of impact

Images of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 taken by the Optical Monitor on ESA's
XMM-Newton observatory, from two minutes before impact and until seven
minutes after impact.

The first two images were taken just before impact, and in the following
images the brightening due to impact is visible.

These images were taken with the Optical Monitor blue filter, with which
it is possible to measure the outcoming gas and dust. More images from
the Optical Monitor are expected in the next hours.

Measurements with other XMM-Newton instruments should provide
information about the chemical composition of the outcoming material.

For more information:

Rita Schulz, Principal Investigator for XMM-Newton Tempel 1 observations
ESA-ESTEC (The Netherlands)
E-mail: rita.schulz @ esa.int

Norbert Schartel, ESA XMM-Newton Project Scientist
ESAC (Spain)
E-mail: norbert.schartel @ sciops.esa.int

More about...

* Rosetta special: ESA views Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html
* Rosetta factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMJUZS1VED_index_0.html
* XMM-Newton factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM14YS1VED_index_0.html
* Hubble factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB5E1A6BD_index_0.html

Related articles

* Life of a comet
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEM3NV0PGQD_0.html
* Preparing for impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8PE0DU8E_index_0.html
* Tempel 1: Biography of a comet
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMIUG0DU8E_0.html
* Rosetta monitors Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCOZ1DU8E_index_0.html
* XMM-Newton to observe Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSZC2DU8E_index_0.html
* Hubble sees outburst from Deep Impact comet
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSBN5DIAE_index_0.html
* ESA observes Deep Impact from Earth
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMNRO5DIAE_0.html

Related links

* Watch NASA TV
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index_040705.html
* NASA Deep Impact
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/de...ain/index.html
* ESO Deep Impact news
http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-re.../pr-15-05.html
* Arianespace
http://www.arianespace.com
* DLR
http://www.dlr.de
* Astrium Space
http://www.astrium-space.com/

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

[Movie:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMS8Y5DIAE_index_1.html]
Animation the first XMM-Newton images of impact

The first two images were taken just before impact, and in the following
images the brightening due to impact is visible. These images were taken
with the Optical Monitor blue filter, with which it is possible to
measure the outcoming gas and dust.

More images from the Optical Monitor are expected in the next hours.
Measurements with other XMM-Newton instruments should provide
information about the chemical composition of the outcoming material.

Credits: ESA/MSSL/Optical Monitor team. Image by Pedro Rodriguez, ESAC
(Spain)

[Image:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMS8Y5DIAE...html#subhead1]
Collage of the XMM-Newton images

Images of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 taken by the Optical Monitor on ESA's
XMM-Newton observatory, from two minutes before impact and until seven
minutes after impact. The first two images were taken just before
impact, and in the following images the brightening due to impact is
visible. These images were taken with the Optical Monitor blue filter,
with which it is possible to measure the outcoming gas and dust.

Credits: ESA/MSSL/Optical Monitor team

*****

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

4 July 2005

XMM-Newton detects water on Tempel 1

These images, taken by the Optical Monitor on board ESA's XMM-Newton
observatory on 3 and 4 July 2005, show a comparison between the states
of the comet before and just after impact.

The images were taken in the blue (top) and ultraviolet channels
(bottom) of the instrument. The ultraviolet images show the emissions of
hydroxyl ions, the direct decay product of water.

About 1.5 hours after the impact, the brightness of hydroxyl groups is
increased by a factor of about five. Later, about 4.5 hours after the
impact the ultraviolet emission is decreased again which indicates that
the peak has passed.

The presence of water in Tempel 1 is consistent with preliminary
measurements of the composition of the comet made last week by the ALICE
instrument on ESA's Rosetta spacecraft.

For more information:

Rita Schulz, Principal Investigator for XMM-Newton Tempel 1 observations
ESA-ESTEC (The Netherlands)
E-mail: rita.schulz @ esa.int

Norbert Schartel, ESA XMM-Newton Project Scientist
ESAC (Spain)
E-mail: norbert.schartel @ sciops.esa.int

More about...

* Rosetta special: ESA views Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html
* Rosetta factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMJUZS1VED_index_0.html
* XMM-Newton factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM14YS1VED_index_0.html
* Hubble factsheet
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB5E1A6BD_index_0.html

Related articles

* Life of a comet
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEM3NV0PGQD_0.html
* Preparing for impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8PE0DU8E_index_0.html
* Tempel 1: Biography of a comet
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMIUG0DU8E_0.html
* Rosetta monitors Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCOZ1DU8E_index_0.html
* XMM-Newton to observe Deep Impact
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSZC2DU8E_index_0.html
* Hubble sees outburst from Deep Impact comet
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSBN5DIAE_index_0.html
* ESA observes Deep Impact from Earth
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMNRO5DIAE_0.html

Related links

* Watch NASA TV
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index_040705.html
* NASA Deep Impact
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/de...ain/index.html
* ESO Deep Impact news
http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-re.../pr-15-05.html
* Arianespace
http://www.arianespace.com
* DLR
http://www.dlr.de
* Astrium Space
http://www.astrium-space.com/

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMPRZ5DIAE_index_1.html]
XMM-Newton detects water on Tempel 1

These images, taken by the XMM-Newton Optical Monitor on 3 and 4 July
2005, show a comparison between the states of the comet before and just
after impact. The images were taken in the blue (top) and ultraviolet
channels (bottom) of the instrument.

Credits: ESA/MSSL/Optical Monitor team. Image by Charo Gonzales and
Pedro Rodriguez, ESAC (Spain)