Posted on 05/19/2015 4:24:15 PM PDT by OK Sun
Scientists from Rosetta’s OSIRIS team have discovered an extraordinary formation on the larger lobe of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in the Aker region. From a group of three boulders the largest one with a diameter of approximately 30 meters stands out: images obtained on 16 September 2014 from a distance of 29 kilometers with the help of Rosetta’s scientific imaging system OSIRIS show it to perch on the rim of a small depression. There seems to be only a very small contact area with the nucleus.
Similar geological formations are found also on Earth. So-called balancing rocks touch the underground with only a tiny fraction of their surface and often look as if they may tilt or topple over any moment. Some can actually be rocked back and forth and are then referred to as “rocking stones.” Impressive examples of balancing rocks occur in Australia or the southwest of the USA. Often these boulders travelled to their current location onboard of glaciers. In other cases, wind and water eroded softer material surrounding the rock.
“How the potential balancing rock on the comet was formed, is not clear at this point”, says OSIRIS Principal Investigator Holger Sierks from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany. It is possible that also on 67P transport processes did their part. The comet’s activity may cause such boulders to move and thus reach a new location. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at mps.mpg.de ...
The very low gravity probably helps.
Yeah, I’m no scientist but that’s what I thought.
It’s not so remarkable.
The gravity of the comet is almost zero.
However the resistance offered to moving, by other materials it contacts, remains about what it normally is.
The result is that the physical resistances are much expanded relative to the gravity.
Interesting however.
Oh yeah, you posted that by the time I did.
What you said.
magnificent photo.
Kinda looks like the first muffins I made as a Kid
and if they were like mine, just as hard too...
Keep the Boy Scout leaders away!
Keep the Boy Scout leaders away!
Yep
But not near as bad as the first cup of instant coffee I made for Mom. I’d seen the coffee POT getting several spoons of coffee put in it so I figured the same went for the Instant stuff...
After Mom put Her hair back on Her head She made a whole pot of coffee from the one cup.
I didn't know what transport processes referred to so I looked it up.
Thanks. Good to learn something new.
heh heh heh
Simple: The comet has ZITS!
Tom Corbett did it... about 70 years ago.
Note: this topic is from 5/19/2015. Thanks OK Sun. Extra to APoD.
Every star has it’s clinging entourage.................
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