Alice instrument's ultraviolet close-up provides a surprising discovery about comet's atmosphere
Tuesday, June 2, 2015 - 15:00
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.