Drawings, Comet Kohoutek
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Object Details
- Artist
- Edward G. Gibson
- Summary
- A pastel on black cardboard rendering of Comet Kohoutek made by astronaut E. G. Gibson based on observations he made during the Skylab 3 mission. The comet was discovered in early March 1973 and was predicted to become a major celestial event since it was believed to be a primordial comet on its first passage into the inner solar system. Gibson, the science specialist and pilot for the third manned Skylab visit, is a solar physicist and focused on the astronomical experiments. He took the opportunity to observe the comet visually through different windows in Skylab during the 84-day mission, supplementing electronographic images taken by various Skylab telescopes.
- The full suite of a dozen drawings and renderings was split between the space science collection and the art collection after it was donated by the Aerospace Corporation. The collection includes a series of twelve drawings made while in orbit (Catalogue #s A19761580-A19761591) and a series of 10 pastels rendered from the drawings after the end of the mission, in February 1974 (A19761592 - 1601). This rendering is of the comet on December 30, 1973, two days after perihelion.
- Credit Line
- Gift of the Aerospace Corporation
- Inventory Number
- A19761594000
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- LITERATURE AND RESEARCH-Drawings & Blueprints (Archives)
- Materials
- White crayon on black paper
- Dimensions
- 2-D - Unframed (H x W): 22.9 x 38.1cm (9 x 15 in.)
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A19761594000
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Not determined
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv96ac5836c-201d-4740-a44b-9c1098455f9f
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