Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Jets from Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko

NASA ^ | February 03, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Where do comet tails come from? Although it is common knowledge that comet tails and comas originate from comet nuclei, exactly how that happens is an active topic of research. One of the best images yet of emerging jets is shown in the featured image, taken last November by the robotic Rosetta spacecraft in orbit around the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Comet CG), and released last month. The overexposed picture shows plumes of gas and dust escaping numerous places from the Comet CG's nucleus as it nears the Sun and heats up. Although Comet CG is currently further out from the Sun than Mars, its orbit will take it almost as close as the Earth this coming August, at which time its jet activity is expected to increase by a factor of about 100. You've likely seen some debris from comet nuclei before but in another form -- when sand-sized bits end their journey through the Solar System by impacting the atmosphere of Earth as meteors.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: ESA / Rosetta / MPS for OSIRIS Team; MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA]

[SunkenCiv]

2015 APoD Calendar

The Big One

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[blueunicorn6]

Comets.....the teenage boys in pickup trucks of our universe.

[cripplecreek]

I was a Comet through high school.

[blueunicorn6]

I drove my Uncle Art’s Comet through the back of our garage. Dad changed my nickname from “Sparky” to “Crash”.

[left that other site]

When you’re a Jet, You’re a Jet all the way!

[KoRn]

Nice!!