Zoom into Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

Hubble Provides Spectacular Detail of a Comet's Breakup

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is providing astronomers with extraordinary views of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, which is falling apart right before our eyes. Recent Hubble images have uncovered many more fragments than have been reported by ground-based observers. These...

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragment B - HST: Apr. 18, 2006

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragment G - HST: Apr. 18, 2006

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragments B, G, R, N - Ground-Based: Apr. 8, 2006

Ground-based view of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 fragments B and G, R, and N on April 8, 2006 made with a 10"/380mm Schmidt Camera. The image is 80 arcminutes wide.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragment B: Apr. 18, 2006

Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys image of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 fragment B on April 18, 2006.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragment B: Apr. 19, 2006

Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys image of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 fragment B on April 19, 2006.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragment B: Apr. 20, 2006

Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys image of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 fragment B on April 20, 2006.

Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 - Fragments B, G

Ground-based color composite image of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 fragments B and G on April 21, 2006 made with a 8" f/1.5 Schmidt Camera.

Sequential Hubble Images of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, Fragment B

Sequence of three Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys images of the disintegration of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3's fragment B. This fragment continues to break into smaller chunks, which are pushed down its tail. The smaller chunks have the lowest mass and...

Sequential Hubble Images of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, Fragment B (Annotated)

Annotated sequence of three Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys images of the disintegration of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3's fragment B. This fragment continues to break into smaller chunks, which are pushed down its tail. The smaller chunks have the lowest...