What will the High Resolution Instrument see?
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The flyby spacecraft carries two instruments for observing the impact and its effects within visible light wavelengths. There is a High Resolution Instrument (HRI) to give a closer and more detailed look at the comet. It has a field of view of 0.118 degrees or one-fifth the diameter of the moon as seen from Earth. The HRI has a maximum predicted resolution of about 2 meters/pixel. In addition, there is a Medium Resolution Instrument (MRI) to show a larger overall image. Both instruments will be pointed at the impact site on the comet nucleus, recording the expansion of the impact ejecta curtain and peering inside of the freshly formed crater.
CREDIT: Jim Richardson, University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
