Deep Impact on Earth

In this activity students will work out how long it takes light to travel from comet Tempel 1 to Earth and how long after the collision in the Deep Impact mission we will see this event.

Objectives

Students will:

• Remember the equation relating distance, time and velocity 
• Use this equation to find out how long it takes light from comet Tempel 1 to reach the Earth 
• Understand why the impacting spacecraft needs to operate autonomously and not rely on commands sent from scientists on the Earth

Resources required

• Pens and paper