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hyak_dust_fig5.gif shows the spectrum of emission and scattering seen from a bright comet's dust [C/Hyakutake 1996 B2) |
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Images of Shoemaker-Levy 9's impact into Jupiter, taken at Calar Alto by Doug Hamilton, debuted in 1999 on Germany's first holographic stamp! |
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ls4_fig3b.gif shows detection of a comet nucleus inside the gas and dust come of a comet [C/1999 S4 (LINEAR] |
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The solar system was formed in a state which differs from that observed today by 4.5 billion years of dynamical evolution. By studying the details of dynamical evolution, we can learn more about the condition of the solar system shortly after its formation. We can also understand our solar system better by studying the evolution of others like it. The following striking example shows that solar perturbations acting on planetary satellites on polar orbits rapidly destabilize the orbits. If the moon's orbit were inclined by 90 degrees out of the ecliptic, it would crash into the Earth in about 6.5 years! It is perhaps not coincidental that no satellites in the solar system have such highly-inclined orbits! Similar dynamics causes some comets to become Sun-grazing and allows Oort cloud objects to enter the inner solar system. |
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rosat_hyak.jpg shows the discovery image of cometary x-ray emission (again from comet Hyakutake) |
