Asteroids and Comets The Astronomical Art of Don Dixon

006-Halleys-Comet

006-halleys-comet-earth-moon-encounter-dixon – A vibrant 1972 analog illustration depicting a bright comet, characterized by a brilliant coma and a multi-layered ion tail, traversing the foreground of the Earth-Moon system. The composition uses high-contrast lighting to show the comet's tail-structure sweeping across the dark expanse, with a crescent Earth and distant Moon providing a sense of scale and proximity.An early Spacescapes painting depicts Comet Halley near Earth, 1972; 24 x 36 inches, oil on canvas panel

104-asteroid-prospector-dixon – Long, spindly legs level the prospector's craft in the irregular gravity field of a small asteroid ; acrylic on board, 1984

121-comet-nucleus-dixon – A fragment of a comet passes by Mars ; An irregular, cratered comet nucleus drifts in deep space, backlit by a brilliant, concentrated sunburst that illuminates surrounding volatile gas and dust trails. In the background, Mars hangs in partial shadow, flanked by a distant, smaller moon. Whispy filaments of a blue-toned coma weave across the dense starfield, framing the celestial choreography. acrylic on masonite, 1979

106-Asteroid-Mining

106-asteroid-mining-lunar-orbit-dixon –Speculative illustration of a large asteroid being steered into a high orbit around a crescent Moon for future industrial use. A small spacecraft is positioned near the lunar limb, while the dark, cratered surface of the asteroid in the foreground is equipped with blue navigational or landing lights. The Earth is visible in the distance as a small blue sphere against a dense star field. ; electromagnetic mass drivers eject rock to maneuver an asteroid into orbit between Earth and Moon ; acrylic on board, 1977

183-giotto-halley-encounter-dixon - painted the night of the Giotto-Halley encounter, the Giotto spacecraft speeds past the dark, bi-lobed nucleus of Halley's Comet, its protective shield glowing yellow from high-velocity dust impacts. Powerful geyser-like jets of volatile gas and dust erupt violently from the active nucleus, streaming into a turbulent, sunlit coma. A brilliant, distant sun illuminates the energetic display of filaments and dust trails slicing through the deep blue cosmic void. for The Orange County Register, acrylic and gouache, 1986.

199-ceres-dwarf-planet-asteroid-belt-dixon - early conception of a large asteroid as seen from a possible satellite. A detailed view of the dwarf planet Ceres as seen from the perspective of a nearby orbiting body or a fragmenting asteroid. The illustration highlights the dense cratering of the C-type carbonaceous surface, emphasizing the ancient geological history of the largest object in the asteroid belt. Deep shadows and high-contrast lighting accentuate the rugged topography against a backdrop of distant stars. Acrylic, 1982.

Mining an Asteroid

Operation Asteroid - A mile-long carbonaceous asteroid is maneuvered into orbit over the moon, where it will be mined for organics required to sustain a lunar base. An electromagnetic mass driver provides not only propulsion (by ejecting asteroidal rock at high velocity), but will be used to deliver mined material to the lunar surface where it can be collected by colonists. 18x24 inch acrylic and gouache on Masonite panel, 1980.

258-Earth-Crossing-Asteroid

258-earth-crossing-asteroid-dixon – A dark, pockmarked near-Earth asteroid drifts through space, positioned between a heavily cratered lunar surface and a distant, vibrant blue Earth. The massive celestial body on the left showcases dense impact basins with dramatic side-lighting that accentuates its rugged topology. In the lower right quadrant, Earth hangs half-illuminated against a vast, deep black cosmic void speckled with a fine distribution of distant stars. illustration for Orange County Register, 1985, acrylic and gouache.

327-Gliese-710-Comets

327-gliese-710-comets-dixon – A wide cosmic diagram illustrates the orange dwarf star Gliese 710 perturbing the Oort cloud of our solar system, triggering a shower of comets. To the left, a spherical cloud composed of millions of icy primordial bodies surrounds a central, bright star system. On the right, the incoming rogue star leaves a wake of active comets with long, luminous blue ion tails streaming away into a vast, dense field of background stars. digital, for Scientific American, circa 2000.

414-comet-tail-passage-dixon – A brilliant comet nucleus blazes in the lower right quadrant, generating an expansive, luminous blue ion tail that stretches diagonally across the frame. Earth and Moon are immersed directly within the flowing streams of the cometary tail, casting subtle shadows or wakes through the gas. Wispy, delicate filaments of dust and energized ions curve gracefully away from the core, highlighting the intense solar wind interaction in deep space. digital, circa 2000.

Meteorite impact in the Rub' al Khali

344-saudi-meteor-dixon – Molten glass splashes out from a meteor impact in the Empty Quarter ( Rub' al Khali) of the Saudi Desert. A dramatic meteor impact unfolds across a vast desert landscape, dominated by rolling sand dunes under a darkened sky. A massive, brilliant explosion erupts from the desert floor, blasting fine debris, shockwaves, and an immense mushroom-shaped plume of smoke and dust high into the atmosphere. In the upper left quadrant, a secondary glowing bolide streaks downward, leaving a fiery trail, while freshly scattered, burning meteorites impact the foreground terrain. digital painting by Don Dixon for Scientific American

345-Greenland-Meteor

345-greenland-meteor-dixon – A brilliant bolide streaks downward through Earth's upper atmosphere, terminating in an intense, glowing explosion above a glaciated coastal landscape. The hypervelocity impactor casts a bright golden-orange reflection across the partially ice-covered ocean water below. In the foreground, complex patterns of sea ice, fractured glaciers, and rugged coastlines are illuminated under a dark, star-filled orbital sky. Recreation of a meteor that may have exploded over Greenland - digital painting by Don Dixon for Scientific American, 1998

346-Fire-over-ice-greenland-meteor-explosion

346-fire-over-ice-dixon – a huge fireball exploding over the Greenland ice cap, cover November, 1998 Scientific American - digital painting by Don Dixon

353-comet-nucleus-dixon – A dark, irregular cometary nucleus vents volatile gases and dust as it heats up in interplanetary space. Linear jets of outgassing material erupt directly from the sunlit surface, feeding into a vast, glowing blue coma structured by fine, radial filaments. A distinct, elongated shadow is cast by the nucleus directly behind it, cutting through the illuminated haze of the surrounding dust and gas envelope. digtial, 2003

354-stardust-comet-probe-dixon – The Stardust Probe Approaches Comet Wilde 2. An automated robotic spacecraft performs a close flyby of an active comet nucleus, encountering hypervelocity dust particles that strike its protective shields with bright, microscopic impacts. In the background, the dark, irregular nucleus forcefully vents linear jets of gas and dust into a sprawling, vibrant blue coma filled with intricate radial filaments. The probe is positioned directly in front of the comet's primary dust stream, catching a glint of sunlight on its main bus and solar arrays against the deep black of space. digital, for Sciantific American

355-stardust-2-dixon – The Stardust Probe Approaches Comet Wilde 2. An automated robotic spacecraft navigates close to a highly active, dark cometary nucleus venting dramatic fountain-like jets of gas and dust. Curved, colorful plumes in shades of white, orange, and blue erupt symmetrically from the core, forming a vast, dynamic coma structured by delicate radial filaments against a star-studded deep space background. The probe is positioned in the foreground below the nucleus, with its solar panels and main body highlighted by an orange glow from the surrounding energetic environment. Digital painting, 2002

410-monte-carlo-meteor-dixon – .A bright Perseid meteor streaks across a dense, star-filled night sky as viewed from a hilltop in Ventimiglia, Italy, leaving a fine, glowing trail above a sweeping coastal view. Below, a winding mountain road and sprawling seaside towns are illuminated by artificial golden and white lights, tracing the rugged contours of the coastline. The calm ocean waters are visible along the dark shorelines, contrasting with the vibrant nocturnal human activity and the vast celestial display above. Digital composite, 2004.

437-Asteroid-Collision

437-asteroid-collision-dixon – A large asteroid is struck by a smaller one. Since both bodies are porous, most of the energy is absorbed as heat, rather than dispersed with ejecta, thus explaining the internal melting of asteroids. Digital, for Scientific American. © 2005 by Don Dixon.

441-Deflecting-A-Comet

441-deflecting-a-comet-dixon –A high-powered laser in earth orbit blasts surface material from an approaching comet nucleus in an effort to deflect it. Pre-production art for NBC miniseries "Asteroid." Acrylic and goache, 1997. © 2005 by Don Dixon.

009-In-The-Shadow-Of-Icarus

009-in-the-shadow-of-icarus-dixon – an early painting by Don Dixon showing a crewed spacecraft sheltering in the shadow of the sun-diving asteroid Icarus as a tethered instrument examines the nearby Sun; 24 x 36 inches, oil on canvas with watercolor paper applique´, 1972; copyright Don Dixon

Mars

Jupiter