A Smashing Success for Faulkes and Glen Spectra
The success of
NASA’s Deep Impact project was watched with anticipation by
staff at Glen Spectra. Within 15 minutes of the collision images from
the ground based Faulkes telescope, which uses optical filters
supplied by Glen Spectra, were on the web for all to see.
The Deep Impact mission to
look inside comet Tempel 1 by smashing a copper probe into its
surface was a spectacular success. Results from this mission will
greatly enhance our understanding of the formation of the Solar
system and implications of comets colliding with Earth.
The Faulkes Telescopes are
located in Hawaii (FT North) and Australia (FT South) and are used by
school children for hands on practical experience of Astronomy. The
FTN on Maui captured the first ground images using Photometric
filters supplied by Glen Spectra. The filters were custom designed to
meet the telescopes exacting performance requirements and include
Bessel, SDDS, Oxygen 3 and H Alpha filters.
Glen Spectra supply
precision optical filters for applications from astronomy to
microscopy and spectroscopy to security.
All images courtesy of the
Faulkes Telescope Project.
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The Faulkes Telescope
North can clearly see the expanding ejecta in the coma (the white area).
Prof. A. Fitzsimmons
and the Maui Deep Impact Workshop students and educators. |
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Post Impact. Note the
satellite that has passed over the telescope during exposure. |
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