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Chapter 10: Dwarf Planets and Solar System Debris
Mission to Pluto
As of August 24, 2006, Pluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt. It has never been visited either with a landing or a flyby.
Regarding the planned mission to Pluto, report on 1) the name of the mission, 2) its current status, and 3) the mission profile.
Visit the Pluto web site
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Hale-Bopp: The Great Comet of 1997
On July 23, 1995, Alan Hale of New Mexico and Thomas Bopp of Arizona discovered independently an unusually bright comet outside of Jupiter's orbit. It turned into the brightest, most-viewed comet in recent memory.
Find the closest distance Comet Hale-Bopp came to the Earth, and when that happened.
Visit the Hale-Bopp: The Great Comet of 1997 web site
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Hale-Bopp's Hoods
Figure 10-13a in your text is an image that indicates that material was jetting from the Hale-Bopp comet as the comet rotated.
Explain how this image was taken in a different manner than a "regular" telescopic photo.
Visit the Imaging Polarimetry of Comet Hale-Bopp web site
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Barringer Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater in northern Arizona is the most well-presevered major meteor crater on Earth. Its official web site is a great place to visit, but less fun than a visit to the real crater.
Go to at least two of the links about Meteor Crater and describe in some detail what you find.
Visit the Meteor Crater: The Official Web Site web site
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Consequences of an Impact
An interactive tool for calculating the effects of an impact.
Run many simulations of the effects of an impact by changing the initial parameters for the object striking the Earth's surface.
Visit the Earth Impact Effects Program web site
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