*DON'T FORGET!* The Sky at Night

[AndyMac]

For those of you who haven't been following the 'Deep Impact' thread in the Space News section, a timely reminder that this month's Sky at Night programme is on BBC1 at 12.35am (Sunday night/Monday morning). This month's edition is concentrating on the probe being sent to smack into comet 9P/Tempel-1, early on Monday morning.

Information can be found here.

[OXO]

I wonder if they will have crack pots on the show worrying about if temple 1 hit's earth due to Deep Impact? or the comet preservation society for the protection of Ice Balls..

James

[AndyMac]

There's bound to be crackpots thinking like that somewhere, James. Luckily Patrick Moore isn't the sort of person to tolerate fools gladly - suffice to say we won't be seeing them on The Sky at Night!

[AndyMac]

Well the two guests on the programme tonight made it clear that there is no chance of the comet being deflected & hitting us. They described the probe hitting the comet as not being unlike a knat hitting a car going at 70mph.

A very interesting programme. Let's hope that the first option of the probe just disappearing inside the comet without sending any signals doesn't come about.

An update is on BBC1, as James has already posted, at 11.45am. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/listings/programme.shtml?day=monday&service_id=4223&filename=20050704/20050704_1145_4223_54466_30

Interestingly, they were debating whether, several hours after impact (i.e. tomorrow night UK time) the comet may have risen to naked eye visibility as a result. Look for an extra 'naked eye star' just above Spica (which lies to the left of Jupiter in the sky at the moment).

[AndyMac]

For further information on Deep Impact, check out the thread at: http://p2.forumforfree.com/deep-impact-ready-for-the-smacking-vt140-backyardastrono.html