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Andromeda Galaxy: The Milky Way and Andromeda are on a collision course, with an expected merger in about 4 billion years.

Happen Today

What does a comet nucleus look like? Formed from the primordial stuff of the solar system, it is thought to resemble a very dirty iceberg. But for active comets, telescopic images only reveal the surrounding cloud of gas and dust, the comet's coma, and the characteristic cometary tails. In 1986, the European spacecraft Giotto encountered the nucleus of Halley's comet as it approached the sun. Data from Giotto's camera was used to generate this enhanced image of the potato shaped nucleus which measures roughly 15 kilometers across. It shows surface features on the dark nucleus against the bright background of the coma as the icy material is vaporized by the Sun's heat. Every 76 years Comet Halley returns to the inner solar system and each time the nucleus sheds about a 6 meter deep layer of its ice and rock into space. This debris composes Halley's tails and leaves an orbiting trail responsible for the Orionids meteor shower.

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Nasa APIs

NASA APIs offer developers access to a wide range of space-related data, including astronomy, satellite imagery, and Mars exploration. These interfaces enable the creation of applications and visualizations, fostering innovation in space science and technology. Registration and the use of API keys are typically required for authentication and access to NASA's valuable data resources.

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