Home > ESA, Rosetta > The Rubber Ducky turns out to be kind of an Ugly Duckling

The Rubber Ducky turns out to be kind of an Ugly Duckling

August 7, 2014

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft arrived at its target Comet 67p/Churyumov–Gerasimenko yesterday, August 6th, 2014.  The smoothed image 30 pixels across of three weeks ago of a rubber ducky,

July 14th animation

An animation of Comet 67p/Churyumov–Gerasimenko rotation on July 14, 2014. The 30 pixel wide image has been smoothed. The Rotation rate is 1 rotation every 12.4 hours. Credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

have been replaced by the mega-pixel images we see now of an Ugly Duckling comet, with much more character and battle scars.  That’s what happens when you’ve been ’round the Sun to many times.

Comet 67p/C-G

The comet on August 3rd, 2014, 3 days before arrival. Credit: ESA / Rosetta / MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / SSO / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA

See Emily Lakdawalla’s post from yesterday at http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08060249-were-at-the-comet-rosetta.html.  It contains lots of images and more information including a 3D image.  Grab your red & blue 3D glasses for that one, or if you’ve mastered the techniques of crossed-eye, or parallel-eye stereo viewing.

Also go to ESA’s own Rosetta site at http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta.

I find Emily’s post much more comprehensive.  So subscribe to the Planetary Society’s blog feed.

 

 

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