EPOXI and Comet 103P/Hartley 2

The Deep Impact Flyby Spacecraft flew past comet Hartley 2 on 4 November 2010. Yet again a cometary flyby has led to numerous surprises that will yet again change our understanding of the role of comets in the formation of the solar system and our understanding thereof. This talk will highlight the new knowledge gained from the flyby. By the time of this talk, Stardust NExT will have flow past comet 9P/Tempel 1 (on 15 April PST) and the new data on the cometary nucleus onto which Deep Impact delivered its Impactor Spacecraft 5 years ago. Preliminary results from that flyby will also be described.

Speaker: Michael A'Hearn, Distinguished Professor, Astronomy Department, University of Maryland