Image of Comet Wild 2 taken by NASA's Stardust spacecraft

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This composite image shows comet Wild 2 as imaged by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. Comet Wild 2 was visited by the spacecraft on Jan. 2, 2004. Asteroid Annefrank was used as a dress rehearsal of procedures the spacecraft would use for its upcoming encounter with its primary science target, comet Wild 2. Stardust passed within about 3,300 kilometers (2,050 miles) of the asteroid. During the comet Wild 2 encounter, Stardust flew within about 230 kilometers (143 miles) of the comet, catching samples of comet particles and scoring detailed pictures of Wild 2's pockmarked surface. The collected particles were stowed in a sample return capsule onboard Stardust. The samples were returned to Earth for in-depth analysis on January 15, 2006, when the spacecraft's sample return capsule made a soft landing at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Maryland/Cornell

Shot of Comet Tempel 1 taken by Deep Impact's flyby Spacecraft

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This spectacular image of comet Tempel 1 was taken 67 seconds after it obliterated Deep Impact's impactor spacecraft. The image was taken by the high-resolution camera on the mission's flyby craft. Scattered light from the collision saturated the camera's detector, creating the bright splash seen here. Linear spokes of light radiate away from the impact site, while reflected sunlight illuminates most of the comet surface. The image reveals topographic features, including ridges, scalloped edges and possibly impact craters formed long ago.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD
Image enhancement: Jean-Baptiste Faure

Comet Hartley 2 detailed close-up by NASA's EPOXI Mission

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Comet Hartley 2 can be seen in glorious detail in this image from NASA's EPOXI mission. It was taken as the spacecraft flew by, from a distance of about 700 kilometers (435 miles). The comet's nucleus, or main body, is approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) long and .4 kilometers (.25 miles) at the "neck," or most narrow portion. Jets can be seen streaming out of the nucleus. The mission's Medium-Resolution Instrument was used to capture this view. The sun is to the right.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD