Alice instrument's ultraviolet close-up provides a surprising discovery about comet's atmosphere
Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - 14:30
in Astronomy & Space
A close-up of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by NASA's ultraviolet instrument surprised scientists by revealing that electrons close to the comet's surface—not photons from the Sun as had been believed—cause the rapid breakup of water and carbon dioxide molecules spewing from the surface.