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Credit & Copyright: Elisabetta Bonora & Marco Faccin
(Alive Universe Images)
Explanation:
Spacecraft Rosetta continues to approach, circle, and map Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Crossing the inner Solar System for ten years to reach the vicinity of the comet
last month, the robotic spacecraft continues to
image the unusual
double-lobed comet nucleus.
The reconstructed-color image featured, taken about 10 days ago,
indicates how dark this comet nucleus is.
On the average, 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.
In about two months,
Rosetta is scheduled to release the first
probe ever to attempt a
controlled landing on a
comet's nucleus.
Astronomers:
Has an APOD image ever helped your research?
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: comet nucleus
Publications with words: comet nucleus
See also: