Rosetta Approaches Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
ESA, Rosetta spacecraft, NavCam imager; Music: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart)
What does it look like to approach a comet?
Early this month
humanity received
a new rendition as the robotic Rosetta spacecraft went right up to --
and began orbiting -- the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
This approach turned out to be particularly fascinating because the
comet nucleus first revealed itself to have an unexpected
double structure, and later showed off an unusual and
craggily surface.
The above 101-frame time-lapse
video details the approach of the spacecraft from August 1 through August 6.
The icy comet's core is the size of a mountain and rotates every 12.7 hours.
Rosetta's images and data may shed light on the
origin of comets
and the early history of our Solar System.
Later this year,
Rosetta is scheduled to release the
Philae lander, which will
attempt to land on Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko's periphery and
harpoon
itself to the surface.