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Comet Linear – C/1999 S4
About the Object
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.On August 5, 2000 the comet was at a distance of 64 million miles (102 million km) from Earth.
About the Data
- InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.UH 2.2 m telescope
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.August 5, 2000
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Comet LINEAR (Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research); C/1999 S4
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Comet
- Release DateAugust 7, 2000
- Science ReleaseHubble Discovers Missing Pieces of Comet Linear
- CreditScience Release Credit: NASA, Harold Weaver (the Johns Hopkins University), the HST Comet LINEAR Investigation Team, and the University of Hawaii
Related Images & Videos

Hubble Sees Mini-comet Fragments from Comet Linear
[lower right] 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...
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Details
Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov