Comet ‘Wild 2’ – Witness to the history of the solar system
NASA‘s Stardust mission, which returned to Earth 18 years ago with samples from the comet ‘Wild 2,’ has provided fascinating information about the origins of the comet.
According to a statement released by NASA, the initial expectations were that the comet’s rocky material would be dominated by primitive dust that formed the solar system, giving the mission its name.
However, microscopic sample analyses revealed a diverse mix of dust resulting from various events in the early history of the solar system. The comet, currently orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, serves as a witness to the local events that shaped the solar system.
The materials preserved from ‘Wild 2’ in a cold storage in space include unique elements not found in meteorites, and the samples have been remarkably well-preserved.
Although the analysis of the small-sized material takes a long time, it continues to provide new insights into the dynamic formative years of the solar system. Stardust’s star dust samples provide a valuable record of the distant past, covering billions of miles and contributing to our understanding of the early evolution of the solar system.
