Deep Impact was launched on January 12, 2005 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket used was Delta II. It reached the comet in July 2005, from Earth. After taking photos, the impactor spacecraft was sent to crash into the surface on July 4, 2005. This created a huge crater and blasted parts of the comet into space. Deep Impact was able to study this debris which included ice and dust from deep inside the comet. This has helped scientists understand what comets are made of.
From the explosion scientists discovered that the comet had water ice both on the surface and deep inside. One scientist described it as being like a "...skating rink of snowy dirt." They were able to work out the comet was formed in the area between Uranus and Neptune.
After the mission, NASA decided to send Deep Impact to study the Comet 85P/Boethin. However the comet did not return on its expected 11 year path around the sun, and has not been seen since.
Tempel 1
Tempel 1 is a comet which orbits the sun every 5.5 years. It was discovered in 1867 by the astronomer Ernest Tempel. On July 4, 2005, NASA fired a spacecraft from Deep Impact into its surface creating a spectacular explosion. Scientists were able to study the debris from the explosion to discover what the comet was made from. They discovered that part of the comet was covered in water ice which made it like a skating rink. This was the first time that evidence of water had been found on a comet.
Positronium
Positronium is an onium, a type of exotic atom that is made of a particle and its antiparticle. In Positronium, one positron and one electron are bonded together. The positron replaces a proton that would normally be present in a Hydrogen atom. They both stay in the same orbital. A few nanoseconds after it is created the Positronium is destroyed and it forms two gamma rays.
Positronium can form molecules, like normal atoms. It can bond with both other exotic atoms and normal atoms.
Di-positronium is a simple molecule made from two positronium atoms bonded together. It was predicted in 1946 by John Archibald Wheeler, but was discovered in 2007 by David Cassidy and Allen Mills, when they fired positrons at molecules of silicon dioxide.
Positronium hydride, also called hydrogen positride, is an exotic molecule made of an atom of hydrogen bonded to a positronium atom. It was predicted in 1951 by A Ore, but was not discovered until 1990 by R. Pareja and R. Gonzalez, who discovered it when they trapped positronium in hydrogen-magnesia crystals.
Belize Barrier Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs. It goes along the coast of Belize, about offshore in the north and in the south. The Belize Barrier Reef is a long section of the long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The reef system runs continuous from Cancún on the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya down to Honduras. This makes it one of the largest coral reef systems in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the New Caledonia Barrier Reef.
Charles Darwin described it as "the most remarkable reef in the West Indies" in 1842.
The Belize Barrier Reef is home to many different plants and animals. There are:
About 90% of the reef still needs to be researched. It is thought that only 10% of all species have been discovered.
San Ignacio, Belize
San Ignacio is a town in western Belize. It is the capital of Cayo District. The town grew from Mahogany and chicle production during British rule.
San Ignacio is on the banks of the Macal and Mopan Rivers.
San Pedro Town
San Pedro is a town in Belize. It is on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye. English is the main language spoken, however many people speak Spanish.
One of the main industries in the town is tourism, most notably scuba diving. Ambergis Museum is in the town.
Benque Viejo del Carmen
Benque Viejo del Carmen (usually shortened to "Benque") is a town in the country of Belize. It is in the Cayo District. The northern edge of the town is along the Mopan River. The river also forms the border with Guatemala. Benque Viejo is a growing town rich with culture and activities. It is a short 5 minute walk to the famous Xunantunich ruins. It also is home to Actun Chapat, a large underground cave system, popular with tourists. An addition of a new Municipal market in Sept 6 2014 . A new hotel the Benque Resort. The addition of Tropic Air extending flights to Maya Flats, has increased the interest and visitors to Benque. Benque is experiencing a growing expat population of retirees, as it was voted cleanest and safest town in Belize.
Once a bustling center of trade for logwood and chicle, Benque is now experiencing growth in tourism, and the addition of a Free trade zone has contributed to the growth and prosperity of the town. Residents enjoy a variety of activities in the town, one of the most popular is river tubing. Leaving from the dock at the Benque Resort on Riverside, visitors and residents, can enjoy the beautiful greenish/blue waters of the Mopan River and float downstream to the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, a popular tourist destination, which features one of the largest pyramids in Belize. A popular House of Culture features a Marimba academy,art classes,dance and music classes to residents and visitors alike. A 100-acre Art park Poustinia on the outskirts of Benque features fabulous works, created by groups and students from all over the world. A publishing house, Cubola books, and a recording studio, Stonetree records, have made this town popular amongst artists from all over the world. The addition of Cave Garden coffee house and resident artist and world renowned master flutist Pablo Collado has entertained countless groups and dignitaries.
Belize dollar
The Belize dollar is the official currency in Belize. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign "$". It is sometimes written as "BZ$" to be different from other dollars. It is divided into 100 cents.
Venison
Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer.
Venison may be eaten as steaks, tenderloins, roasts, sausages, jerky and minced meat. Venison has less fat than similar cuts of beef. However, like beef, leaner cuts can be tougher as well. Venison can be kosher.
Paca
The genus Cuniculus has the two species of paca.
Pacas are found from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They are a source of meat in many places.
Both species of paca eat mainly fruit. Other foods include roots, seeds, leaves, buds, and flowers. In the wild, pacas are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants. In captivity, they are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and flesh. Pacas in zoos eat fruits, vegetables, raw meat, lizards, and insects.
Open Database License
The Open Database License (ODbL) is a copyright license for sharing database contents. The ODbL is "copyleft" because it makes the copyrighted work easier to share.
The license is provided by the Open Knowledge Foundation.
In September 2012 the OpenStreetMap (OSM) project moved from a Creative Commons license to ODbL.
Habanero chili
The habanero chili is a type of chili pepper. Unripe habaneros are green. They color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Typically a ripe habanero chili is long. Habanero chilis are very spicy, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale.
The habanero chili comes from the Amazonas region. From there it was spread in Mexico. The habanero is a perennial flowering plant. With proper care and growing conditions, it can produce flowers (and thus fruit) for many years.
Cross Country Cycling Classic