Astronomy? Find a galaxy of information here.
Spacecraft that studied the nucleus of Halley's Comet. Named after the 14th-century Italian painter Giotto di Bondone, Giotto was the European Space Agency's first solar system exploration mission. During its approach to Halley's Comet, Giotto returned a wealth of scientifically valuable data, including vivid images, and on March 13, 1986, it approached within 596 km (370 mi) of the nucleus of the comet.
Find more information on Giotto. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Giotto.