Wacky Weasel Rantings: Spacecraft set to catch a glimpse of small comet during fly-by (The Starting Point)

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Have you ever been in a car and tried to take a picture of a pretty tree or interesting landmark? Now imagine doing so at 27,000 miles per hour. That's how fast the Deep Impact spacecraft will be flying when it passes within 435 miles of Comet Hartley 2 today.

NASA defines a comet as "an icy body that releases gas or dust." Astronomers believe these celestial wanderers are leftover debris from the creation of outer planets that were formed about 4.6 billion years ago. Hartley 2, which was discovered in 1986 by Australian astronomer Malcolm Hartley, orbits the sun once every 6 1/2 years.

Four other comets -- Comet Halley, Comet Borrelly, Comet Wild 2 and Comet Tempel 1 -- have been viewed on previous fly-bys. When Deep Impact fired a copper probe into Tempel 1 back in 2005, the high speed collision launched a cloud of debris into space and gave scientists their first look into a comet's interior.

Hartley 2 is only three-quarters to 1 mile wide, making it the smallest comet to be photographed up close, LiveScience.com reported. Deep Impact has been gathering data and shooting photographs of the comet since September. According to The Associated Press, scientists hope the $42 million rendezvous will help them better understand the composition of Hartley 2's core and how comets differ.

"This comet is unlike any we've visited before," Mike A'Hearn, principal investigator of Deep Impact's mission, told Space.com, "and we don't know what we're going to find."

What happened overnight

Engine trouble forced a Qantas superjumbo jet carrying 459 people to make an emergency landing in Singapore today, The AP reported. The mid-air incident is still under investigation, but passengers on board the plane said they heard several loud blasts and saw flames shooting out of the engine. Qantas has grounded all six of its Airbus A380 planes until "safety requirements have been met," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said.

Toyota announced a recall of nearly 136,000 cars to fix a steering problem, AFP reported. The Japanese automaker made the recall after it learned that power steering sensors could malfunction when driving over bumps. Affected models include the iQ and Passo, which were sold in Japan and Europe and built between 2008 and 2010.

A U.S. ballet company performed in Cuba for the first time in 50 years, Reuters reported. The American Ballet Theater danced today in Havana's Karl Marx Theater in a tribute to the troupe's former prima ballerina Alicia Alonso.

Public opinion

Today's poll: The U.S. government offers tax deductions for first-time homebuyers, renewable energy purchases and charitable giving. Should pet owners receive a tax break for animal care expenses? Click here to share your thoughts.

Wednesday's poll: Have you used your cell phone to make a charitable donation? Eighty percent of respondents said no and 20 percent voted yes.

Looking ahead

More than 1 million people who are living in Haiti's earthquake camps must now prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Tomas. Forecasters say the storm will hit the devastated country on Friday.

Melvin Jovel, who pleaded guilty to the execution-style killings of three college students in a New Jersey schoolyard in 2007, will be sentenced today. He will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

Just the facts, ma'am

The first outbreak of plague occurred in China more than 2,600 years ago before reaching Europe via Central Asia's "Silk Road" trade route. --AFP

One in four flights arriving in New York end up delayed or canceled. --AP

In 2006, fast-food companies spent more than $520 million on advertising and toys to promote meals for children. --Reuters

Today in history

Fifteen years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist after speaking at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.

Birthdays

* Chef Curtis Stone, 35.
* Actress Heather Tom, 35.
* Actor Matthew McConaughey, 41.
* Producer Sean "Puffy" Combs, 41.
* Musician Wayne Static (Static-X), 45.
* TV personality Jeff Probst, 49.
* Actor Ralph Macchio, 49.
* Comedian Kathy Griffin, 50.
* Actress Markie Post, 60.
* Former First Lady Laura Bush, 64.
* Actress Loretta Swit, 73.
* Actress Doris Roberts, 80.