Rosetta’s Comet Springs Spectacular Leaks As It Gets Closer To The Sun

universetoday.com ^ | October 23, 2014 | Elizabeth Howell

[BenLurkin]

The comet that the Rosetta spacecraft is visiting is shedding more dust as machine and Solar System body get closer to the Sun.

While activity was first seen at the “neck” of the rubber-duckie shaped comet a few weeks ago, now scientists are seeing jets spring from across the comet.

This is just one signal of cometary activity picking up as 67P gets closer to the Sun. For the moment, it appears the prime landing site is still safe enough for Philae to land on Nov. 19, officials said, while noting there is a jet about a kilometer away that the lander can study when it gets there.

[Don Corleone]

What happens if it gets to the sun at night?/s

[ImaGraftedBranch]

lol. I happen to be re-reading Lucifer’s Hammer at the moment...yikes.

[Jack Hydrazine]

http://sci.esa.int/where_is_rosetta/

[NonValueAdded]

Are they getting spectrographic imaging of the ejecta?

When is Hot Fudge Tuesdae?

[cdpap]

I don’t believe it has anything to do with the sun. I think it may be my fault. I drove my SUV yesterday. My bad.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin, extra to APoD.

[left that other site]

“Rubber-Duckie-Shaped”?

I am not familiar with that nomenclature. It’s been years since I studied Astrophysics and I am having trouble catching up with all the new discoveries.

[Professional Engineer]

Newspeak for latex avian shaped.

[left that other site]

Ah. Then it’s Double Plus Good in my view!

[JPG]

very cool and a nice ringside seat

[MikeD]

Yes, there is a UV spectrograph on Rosetta, and it is imaging the coma. I can’t say anything more yet.

[Alas Babylon!]

That would be a latex yellow-pigmented AQUATIC avian shape.

It’s always good to be specific in science.

[Political Junkie Too]

Headlights, silly.

-PJ

[Paulie]

Looks to me like they plan on Philae to piggyback the comet as it orbits the sun, sending telemetry throughout the trip.

Unlike the Voyagers, it seems to me it will be able to recharge the batteries as it nears the sun (for another go-around?).

Thank you for the link.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Closest approach of Comet 67P/C-G, that Rosetta is traveling along with, is 13AUG2015.