The first two images were taken just before impact. In the next images we can see the comet brightness due to impact.
The images are taken with Optical Monitor blue filter, with which we can measure the outcoming gas and dust. More images from the Optical Monitor are expected in the next hours.
Measurements in other XMM-Newton isntruments wavelenghts that should provide information about the chemical composition of the outcoming material.
For more information:
Rita Schulz, Principal Investigator for XMM-Newton Tempel 1 observations, ESA-ESTEC (The Netherlands) E-mail: rita.schulz @ esa.int
Norbert Schartel, ESA XMM-Newton Project Scientist, ESAC (Spain)
E-mail: norbert.schartel@sciops.esa.int
Image credit: ESA/MSSL/Optical Monitor team. Image by Pedro Rodriguez, ESAC (Spain)