Press Releases 2006

ESO PR Photo 15a/06

Fragment B of Comet SW-3

[Preview - JPEG: 443 x 400 pix - 22k]
[Normal - JPEG: 829 x 800 pix - 509k]
[Full Res - JPEG: 2164 x 1957 pix - 1.3M]
[Full Res - TIFF: 2164 x 1957 pix - 4.0M]

Image of the broken fragments surrounding Fragment B of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 observed with FORS1 on ESO's VLT in four filters (B, V, R, and I). As the telescope was tracking the comet, the stars appear as coloured trails, indicating the order in which the comet was observed in the different filters. North is up and East is to the left.

ESO PR Photo 15b/06

Broken Fragments of Comet SW-3

[Preview - JPEG: 415 x 400 pix - 12k]
[Normal - JPEG: 829 x 800 pix - 194k]
[Full Res - JPEG: 1470 x 1419 pix - 490k]
[Full Res - TIFF: 1470 x 1419 pix - 6.3M]

Image of the broken fragments surrounding Fragment B of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 observed with FORS1 on ESO's VLT in three filters (B - blue, V - green, and R - red). As the telescope was tracking the comet, the stars appear as coloured trails, indicating the order in which the comet was observed in the different filters. As less filters have been used for this image, that zooms-in on the fragments, the colours appear different than ESO PR Photo 15a/06.

ESO PR Photo 15c/06

Mini-Comets coming off Comet SW-3

[Preview - JPEG: 459 x 400 pix - 20k]
[Normal - JPEG: 917 x 800 pix - 348k]
[Full Res - JPEG: 1304 x 1494 pix - 590k]
[Full Res - TIFF: 1304 x 1494 pix - 5.9M]

Image of Fragment B and associated mini-comets. This is a digitally-enhanced zoom-in version of PR Photo 15b/06 to show in a better way some of the smaller fragments. An arrow indicates the fragments that could be seen, including the main one - on top, the two just below that have just split and five others, much dimmer.