New Mosaic Reveals Jets Blasting from Rosetta’s Comet

universetoday.com ^ | September 5, 2014 | Bob King on

[BenLurkin]

Hidden among the four new images of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko released by ESA this week are a pair of dusty jets shooting from the nucleus of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The photos were taken September 2, 2014 and posted as a mosaic of four separate images. I re-assembled the four, albeit imperfectly, and added some additional contrast to better show the dual geyser of ice crystals mixed with dust venting from the nucleus.

...

Jets or sprays of vaporizing ice are what gives a comet its lively appearance. Dust released with water vapor is ultimately pushed back by the pressure of sunlight to grow 67P/C-G’s dust tail. Ultraviolet light from the sun causes volatiles within the vapor to fluoresce a pale blue, creating a second ion or gas tail. The coma or comet atmosphere is a mix of both.

[BenLurkin]

Original four image montage of comet 67P/C-G, using images taken on September 2. The dark spot at center is imaging artifact. Credits: ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM

[NormsRevenge]

A cold dead chunk of stuff that is just floating around in space.. Manages to have jets of stuff that allow it to be identified.

No telling what kind of stuff it accumulates and dispenses as it hurtles along.. But scientists have some pretty cool ways to take a whack at it.

[Hot Tabasco]

new images of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko released by ESA this week are a pair of dusty jets shooting from the nucleus of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Just dayum! Me and my homies was discussing that just last night while watching the Tigers at Rosie O'Grady's Pub.......

Huh, go figure, we were sitting on the cusp of intersteller acknowledgement and didn't even know it........

[cripplecreek]

Benny and the jets.

[cripplecreek]

Long stressful game till the 11th inning.

[BenLurkin]

She wears electric boots and a mohair suit.

[mountainlion]

Rosetta’s Comet jet propelled, who’d of think it?

[Arrowhead1952]

Comets eat bean burritos? Who knew?

[NormsRevenge]

130 kilometers out shot, from ESA blog

[tet68]

Jets? Where? Don’t see them.

[NormsRevenge]

Didja talk about the seas of bubbling methane on a moon near Jupiter? Yes, there was life on Mars once upon a time, or do ya get deep space?

:-)

After a few rounds , stars sparkle twice as fast,

[Red Badger]

This is Rosetta, not Bennie..................

[jaz.357]

[jagusafr]

Now if it was sandy jets, I’d be thinkin’ we found some more of Sadaam’s toys...

[Hot Tabasco]

Didja talk about the seas of bubbling methane on a moon near Jupiter?

Ya know, funny you should ask that. We just got started on that very topic when the bar kicked us out at closing time..........

[NormsRevenge]

Too bad,, eventually! I’m sure the rings around Uranus would have been on the table too. Saturn looks especially blingy I hear.

[1FreeAmerican]

I always thought the lyric was “she has electric b00bs and a Mohawk too!”

[BenLurkin]

That certainly is a more vivid mental image!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin, extra to APoD.