A stunning image of Comet Hartley 2 (103P/Hartley) traversing the constellation Puppis. The greenish coma of the comet is clearly visible, along with the open star clusters M46 and M47. This image highlights the comet's significance in understanding the origin of Earth's water, as its deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio is similar to that of Earth's oceans, suggesting a Kuiper Belt origin for some of our planet’s water.

Astronomy Picture from 07/10/2011

The Comet Hartley 2 Cruise

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111007.html


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