Comet 67P from Spacecraft Rosetta
Explanation:
Spacecraft Rosetta continues to circle and map Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Crossing the inner Solar System for ten years to reach the vicinity of the comet
in 2014, the robotic spacecraft continues to
image the
unusual
double-lobed comet nucleus.
The
featured image, taken one year ago, shows dust and gas escaping from the comet's
nucleus.
Although appearing bright here, the comet's
surface
reflects only about four percent of
impinging visible light,
making it as
dark as coal.
Comet
67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko spans about four kilometers in length and has a
surface gravity
so low that an astronaut could
jump off of it.
With
Rosetta in tow,
Comet 67P
passed its closest to the Sun last year and is now headed back to the furthest point
-- just past the orbit of
Jupiter.
Astrophysicists:
Browse 1,200+ codes in the Astrophysics Source Code Library
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
