In the making of “Deep Impact,” producers put a high value on scientific authenticity and consulted multiple astronomers to ensure the comet-related aspects were depicted correctly. The consulting team was composed of prominent experts, including Gene Shoemaker of the famed Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet discovery, astronaut David Walker, as well as physicists Chris Luchini and Joshua Colwell from the University of Central Florida. According to Colwell:
“In most cases, it’s not challenging to exceed the scientific accuracy of many sci-fi films. […] The people behind this movie—director, producers, writers—opted to adhere closely to scientific plausibility, in harmony with the narrative they desired to convey. […] The film illustrates the attempt to avert the comet disaster and the construction of an underground ‘ark’ as a refuge to endure the aftermath of the comet impact. […] These endeavors are feasible, but they demand substantial resources and considerable preparation time.”
The advisors, including Colwell, paid attention to ensuring the comet’s surface was depicted accurately and that its size was consistent with scientific expectations, being seven miles wide in the film. They also aimed for a realistic portrayal of the impact, including the resultant catastrophic tidal waves and confirmed that astronauts on a comet would experience weightlessness due to the low gravity.
The film accurately conveyed that celestial objects with significant gravity would naturally form into spheres—a process known as isostatic adjustment. For a reference within our solar system, Mimas, Saturn’s seventh-largest moon, with a diameter of about 246 miles, is the smallest spherical body under this influence. In contrast, the largest known comet—C/2014 UN271—measures roughly 1.2 miles across.
FAQs about “Deep Impact” and Its Scientific Accuracy
- What is the movie “Deep Impact” about?
“Deep Impact” is a science fiction film that revolves around humanity’s efforts to prevent a catastrophic comet strike on Earth and the ensuing preparations for survival. - Did “Deep Impact” employ real astronomers for its production?
Yes, the film employed several consultative astronomers, including Gene Shoemaker, a prominent figure in the discovery of comets, and other scientists to ensure scientific accuracy in the depiction of the comet. - How important was scientific accuracy to “Deep Impact’s” production team?
The production team of “Deep Impact” aimed to maintain a high level of scientific plausibility while balancing the narrative of the story, as noted by Joshua Colwell, one of the consultants. - What were some of the scientific aspects that were focused on in “Deep Impact”?
The film paid special attention to the appearance and size of the comet, the nature of a comet strike, the portrayal of weightlessness in space, and the realistic presentation of tidal waves resulting from the impact. - Is the portrayal of Mimas and the largest known comet in “Deep Impact” accurate?
The movie correctly notes that Mimas is the smallest spherical body in our solar system due to its own gravity, and it also references the largest known comet, C/2014 UN271, providing an accurate comparison of their sizes.