2007 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2007 · General Studies

Question 126: Science and Technology

NASA’s Deep Impact space mission was employed to take detailed pictures of which comet nucleus?

aHalley’s comet
bHale-Bopp
cHyakutake
dTemple 1

AnswerThe answer is (d).

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft released an impactor that struck the nucleus of comet Tempel 1 on 4 July 2005, while the main craft photographed the impact and the crater from a distance. Halley's comet, Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake were not Deep Impact's targets.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Halley's comet was visited by other probes, such as Giotto, in 1986.
  • (b) Hale-Bopp was seen from Earth in 1997.
  • (c) Hyakutake was seen from Earth in 1996.
  • (d) Correct: Deep Impact hit comet Tempel 1.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2007, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.