Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Also see the archival list of Science's Compass: Enhanced Perspectives
PLANETARY SCIENCE: Enhanced: The Death of a Comet and the Birth of Our Solar System
Hermann Boehnhardt
In his Perspective, Boehnhardt describes the apparition and demise of comet LINEAR, which was observed intensively between 1 October 1999 and its fatal breakup on 21 to 22 July 2000.
Comets are among the oldest objects in our solar system, having remained essentially unaltered since they were formed out of the original dust cloud some 4.6 billion years ago. Observations of comet LINEAR provide insights into important questions such as how comets may have formed from smaller segments.
The author is at the European Southern Observatory, VLT Observatory Cerro Paranal, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Santiago, Vitacura, Chile. E-mail: hboehnha{at}eso.org
The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:
In Science Magazine
REPORTS
H. A. Weaver, Z. Sekanina, I. Toth, C. E. Delahodde, O. R. Hainaut, P. L. Lamy, J. M. Bauer, M. F. A'Hearn, C. Arpigny, M. R. Combi, J. K. Davies, P. D. Feldman, M. C. Festou, R. Hook, L. Jorda, M. S. W. Keesey, C. M. Lisse, B. G. Marsden, K. J. Meech, G. P. Tozzi, and R. West (18 May 2001) Science292 (5520), 1329.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1058606] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
M. J. Mumma, N. Dello Russo, M. A. DiSanti, K. Magee-Sauer, R. E. Novak, S. Brittain, T. Rettig, I. S. McLean, D. C. Reuter, and Li-H. Xu (18 May 2001) Science292 (5520), 1334.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1058929] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
Dominique Bockelée-Morvan, Nicolas Biver, Raphaël Moreno, Pierre Colom, Jacques Crovisier, Éric Gérard, Florence Henry, Dariusz C. Lis, Henry Matthews, H. A. Weaver, Maria Womack, and Michel C. Festou (18 May 2001) Science292 (5520), 1339.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1058512] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
C. M. Lisse, D. J. Christian, K. Dennerl, K. J. Meech, R. Petre, H. A. Weaver, and S. J. Wolk (18 May 2001) Science292 (5520), 1343.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.292.5520.1343] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »|Supplemental Data »
REPORTS
Tony L. Farnham, David G. Schleicher, Laura M. Woodney, Peter V. Birch, Clara A. Eberhardy, and Lorenza Levy (18 May 2001) Science292 (5520), 1348.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1058886] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Mass Disruption of Oort Cloud Comets.
H. F. Levison, A. Morbidelli, L. Dones, R. Jedicke, P. A. Wiegert, and W. F. Bottke Jr. (2002)
Science
296, 2212-2215
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
