Hobbies And Interests
Comets
Comets inhabit the farthest reaches of the solar system known as the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. Most comets are too small and far away to be seen without a telescope. Comets can be seen with the naked eye as they pass by the sun, absorbing its energy. High powered telescopes equipped with cameras detect comets in the main asteroid belt after an optical all-sky survey study. Computers are essential for the analysis of the massive amount of data gathered by the telescopes.
Asteroids
Since 1801, several hundred thousand asteroids have been detected with simple reflector telescopes made with curved mirrors. Now, thousands of asteroids a year are discovered with optical telescopes. Digital cameras record images of the asteroids for later computer analysis. Cameras on the Galileo spacecraft captured close-up images of several asteroids. The Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft landed on the Itokawa asteroid in 2005. Asteroidal material was collected and returned to Earth in 2010.
Spacecraft
NASA launched a spacecraft custom built to collect comet dust in 1999. Called Stardust, the space vehicle was designed to catch particles of interstellar dust, micro-meteorites and comet dust. An aerogel collector unit captured and stored the interplanetary material for later study in laboratories. As of the time of publication, a space vehicle named "Comet Hopper" is on NASA's drawing boards for a 2016 mission. The craft is being designed to land on comets and perform detailed in-situ analysis with an array of instruments.
Spectrographs
Spectroscopic analysis of comets and asteroids reveals a wealth of information. A spectroscope is a prismatic device that separates light into its constituent colors. Used with telescopes, a spectrograph can analyze an extraterrestrial object's chemistry, density and movement. Spectrographic data obtained with infrared telescopes can help identify minerals on the surfaces of asteroids, as well as detect the presence of water or ice. Spectrographs study light in the infrared, ultraviolet and visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.