Solar System
Comet Linear Fragments
August 7, 2000 · ESA/Hubble
In one stunning Hubble picture the fate of the mysteriously vanished solid nucleus of Comet LINEAR has been settled. The Hubble picture shows that the comet nucleus has been reduced to a shower of glowing 'mini-comets' resembling the fiery fragments from an exploding aerial firework.
A ground-based telescopic view (2.2-meter telescope) of Comet LINEAR taken on August 5, at nearly the same time as the Hubble observations.
More Hubble images of Comet Linear
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Difference Images, 8.3 days Showing Variable Stars (Alas No Planets)October 31, 2000 · video
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Comet Linear Fragments (Hubble View)August 7, 2000
Comet Linear Fragments (Ground-Based View)August 7, 2000
Comet Linear Fragments (Close-Up Version)August 7, 2000